The Best Spring Flowers

• Written by Holly Hughes on April 17, 2022

After a long, cold, and often colorless winter, the beginning of spring and, more particularly, the blooming of spring flowers is a bright light on the horizon for any gardener or flower lover.

The first flowers to pop up are a welcome messenger telling us of the vibrant lushness and renewal to come as the ice thaws, the days get longer, and the world once again awakens from its wintry slumber.

To celebrate the insurmountable joy of these springtime blooms, and to help you choose the best blossoms to mark the arrival of spring in your garden, this article will share some different spring flowers, from common favorites to surprising showstoppers.

List of spring flowers covered in this article:

• Pansy
• Primrose
• Tulip
• Snowdrop
• Crocus
• Daffodil
• Pulmonaria
• Bush Clematis

The best colorful spring flowers

Of course, nothing says spring quite like a welcome burst of color through the winter darkness. Common spring flowers are renowned for their vibrant shades and perky flowers that are surprisingly resilient. Here’s three of the most colorful springtime blooms, sure to brighten any garden, pot or windowsill.

Pansy

As one of the earliest annuals that can be planted in spring and coming in a sensational array of bright colors, pansies are one of the most popular spring flowers. As soon as you can dig your soil, your pansies are ready for planting. One of the best things about this plant is that they’re not limited to a flower bed, looking equally as beautiful in a window box, standalone pot, or hanging basket.

While they disappear in summer heat, pansies can sometimes return in the coolness of autumn.

Primrose

One of the daintiest spring plants, primroses are also one of the first to bloom. Yes, despite their seeming delicateness, these resilient little blossoms come in hundreds of species and boast an array of delightful colors that will surprise and delight you from early spring. 

Tulip

And of course, we cannot speak of colorful spring blooms without mentioning the quintessential flower of the season – the bulbous and iconic tulip. There is no better way to herald the beginning of a new season than by planting an array of tulip varieties in their various colors, shapes, and formations, in your garden. Typically treated as annuals, new tulip bulbs are usually planted every year in the fall for a stunning splash of color come spring.

Related Post: Five fun facts about tulips

Earliest spring flowers

If patience isn’t your strong suit and you can’t wait to experience some much-needed rebirth in your garden, there are several plants that flower early, the better to give your beds, hedgerows, and heart the lift they need. For flowers that achieve this right throughout the winter season, click here.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops are aptly named not only because their delicate petals resemble precious flakes of snow but also because these surprisingly hardy plants can poke their pretty heads out of the snow as early as January or February. If you’re looking for a delicate spring flower that will bloom early, these pea-sized bulbs are the perfect choice.

Crocus 

Planted in the fall, crocuses also have the ability to flower in late winter, bursting from the soil in a welcome splash of color. Their bell-shaped flowers can bloom almost as early as snowdrops and, coming in a variety of hues and sizes, there’s plenty of scope for kaleidoscopic experimentation with this precocious flower.

Daffodils

Daffodils are often viewed as the happy harbinger of spring, their bright yellow heads symbolizing the returning warmth of the sun. If you would like your daffodils to bloom earlier than usual, choose a miniature variety that tends to pop up before its larger-stemmed brethren. That way this early-blooming flower can be enjoyed even sooner than before!

Blue spring perennials

While we often associate this season’s blooms with bright colors like yellow, there are many blue perennials that bring a rare and arresting beauty to a spring garden. Also blue flowers carry many symbolic meanings, adding an extra bit of magic and mysticism to your spring flower plot.  Here’s two favorites.

Pulmonaria – ‘Trevi Fountain’

A low-growing shrub with lance-shaped leaves, pulmonaria is a lovely blue perennial that is also one of the earliest flowers to bloom in spring. Known as the ‘Trevi Fountain’ for the clusters of funnel-like blossoms that sprout forth in deep blue in early spring, one of the most magical things about this plant is that its flowers change color as they age, morphing from shades of sky blue to lavender, violet, and rose.

Bush Clematis – ‘Stand By Me’

Appearing in late Spring, Clematis is a beautiful perennial boasting bell-shaped blue flowers and broad, green foliage. If your spring garden is seeking pollinators, this plant is a great option. It even reblooms a little in the later summer months.  

Bringing spring flowers into your home

Of course, if you’re short on garden space or lacking a sufficient green thumb, don’t forget that you can replicate the joy of a blooming spring garden by ordering a spring bouquet from any one of these amazing flower delivery services. Using the expertise and artistry of companies like 1800Flowers, SendFlowers, or FromYouFlowers, you can have the most colorful springtime flowers delivered to your door!

Or, for seasonal bouquets delivered weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, try a subscription package from incredible services like MonthlyClubs, BloomsyBox, or EnjoyFlowers, who select the best in-season blooms for a truly sensational arrangement.