Early spring flowers
by M. Arjoca, vegetalshapes.com
There is still winter, but some plants show their flowers even above the partially melted snow. These are plants that bloom between winter and spring and their colors give us joy in a season when every thing seems frozen and dormant. For us the cold and the snow are not always something wonderful, but for these plants the low temperature is ideal to be happy and bloomy. If it would be warmer or sunnier they would die or they would not bloom. The snowdrops start to bloom in February, but in some southern regions you can see them even in January.
The fact that these plants bloom when the other plants are dormant is an advantage because different insects and animals who look for food in a season when it’s hard to find, will certainly pay them a visit. This way the pollination is assured. If they would bloom when other plants bloom too, the competition will be higher. Plus, their flowers are also a gift for us. We can see that in a frozen, cold period there are still colors and life around. This gives us hope. After the flowers spent and the temperature rises, their leaves continue to work and prepare food. That’s why don’t cut them after the flowers wilt. To some plants the leaves dry also after a wile, but to others they stay until the first frost. These last ones can bloom one more time in autumn when the temperature drops again. It’s the case of the pansies.
The plants that bloom in this season are short enough to be grown also in containers. This is an advantage for those with container gardens. They are suited to semi-shade, but also to sunny gardens. When grown on a slope garden, they give the impression that you look to a beautiful painting on a wall.
Below it’s a list of some plants that bloom in early spring:
Winter aconites (Eranthis)
they have yellow flowers and some kind of leaf collar around them. They are some of the first plants that bloom in this period. The winter aconites grow in clusters and when you look at them from some distance you have the feeling of a warm yellow light. In mild climates they start blooming in mid-January. Their leaves wilt when the trees are in leaf. The winter aconites have tubers and after the leaves are spent, they can be propagated by dividing these tubers. They need good water drainage and prefer slightly acidic soil pH.
Erica (Ericaceae)
grows as a short evergreen bush. It has small needle-like leaves and pink or white flowers. It is very resistant to frost and it can adapt to different types of soil, from sandy ones to wet ones. She will be the queen of the garden during winter. If the cold and the snow kill the most plants, for her they are like the elixir of life. Erica is green and blooms during the entire winter and at the beginning of spring. It is very suited to sunny gardens.
they are other lovers of the cold weather. They bloom in autumn and in spring and are resistant to snow. Their slightly scented flowers can have different combinations of colors. This makes them some of the most grown plants in the cities. The blooming season ends when the temperature rises. The pansies can be very easily propagated by seeds. The wild varieties have smaller flowers, but just as beautiful as the hybrids have. The pansies can be easily cultivated in containers and prefer soil with acidic pH.
Hellebore (Helleborus)
their bell flowers can be green, pink, red, yellow or purple. Because the flower resembles dog rose flower, they are called also Christmas roses. In Romanian they are called bozotel or bear’s paw.
The leaves of the hellebores are evergreen and the plants can be grown also in semi-shaded gardens. The hellebores need a good water drainage and the soil pH can vary from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. They can be propagated through seeds or dividing the bush. Seed propagation lasts longer and the plant will bloom in the third or the fourth year. That’s why dividing the bush is easier and you don’t have to wait so long for flowers. The best time for doing this is the late autumn or the winter. Of course do this carefully so the roots can not be damaged during the operation. Also keep in mind that the plant is poisonous.
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
it blooms at the beginning of spring. It grows in clusters and its yellow flowers resemble the dandelions. The beneficial insects, especially the bees, are attracted to them, but also different pest insects like butterflies caterpillars. The leaves come out after the flowers wilt. The coltsfoot is used to treat breathing problems and in some regions is used instead of tobacco. However the plant contains toxic substances. Coltsfoot can be propagated through seeds or dividing the plant and tends to take over the garden. So it is suited to container gardens. It can also be grown in sunny spots or in partial shade and prefers neutral soil pH.
their wonderful scent enriches the spring air. They don’t grow very tall and are related to pansies. The flowers are dark-purple or white. The sweet violets can be propagated through seeds or dividing the plants. They can also be grown in semi-shaded gardens. The sweet violets prefer moist soils and acidic pH.
English daisies (Bellis perennis)
the wild varieties have small white or/with pink shade flowers and are edible. The plants bloom through all year and the flowers make the clearings seem happy. The hybrids have larger flowers with a single or many rows of petals. The colors can be white, pink, red. You can create beautiful floral arrangements when you grow them in containers together with other spring plants (hyacinths, tulips, muscari). the soil pH can vary from slightly acidic to neutral.
their name in Latin means “first”, this refers to the fact that they are among the first plants that flowers in spring. In Romanian there are called cuckoos boot. There are many varieties of primulas. Some of them have flowers that grow from the middle of the bush. Others have a single stalk on which the flowers are arranged like the spokes of an umbrella. The colors vary from white to purple. They are very suited to semi-shaded gardens and prefer slightly acidic soils.
- the snowdrops, the hyacinths, the tulips, the daffodils and the bluebells are the first plants that come in our mind when we think of spring. Without them the spring would be dull.
Anemones (Anemone)
they don’t grow tall and the wild varieties have white or pale pink flowers. The hybrids have larger flowers and different colors and combinations of shades: blue, purple, red, pink, white. The anemones have tubers that can be divided and planted in autumn or spring. They are suited to semi-shaded gardens.
Buttercups (Ranunculus)
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their yellow, glossy flowers draw right away our attention. The buttercups grow in clusters and cover the ground like a blanket. That’s why when they bloom, you see them as a yellow blanket. The insects are very attracted to them.