You may have seen me recently on ITV’s This Morning discussing how to bring colour into your garden this spring. Here is a little more information about each of the plants I mentioned to brighten up your garden at home.
If you didn’t see the episode, you can watch the clip by following the link below:
Flowering plants for Spring Colour
Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’
A very small Fuji tree with zig-zagging branches and masses of flowers, which is frequently grown as a bonsai in small gardens in native Japan. Any new foliage has a lovely bronze tinge to it, which develops to a bright orange in the autumn, which ensures interest throughout the year. The blossoms are highly attractive to bees and other pollinators.
- Ornamental berries
- Flowers before the foliage
- Prefers full sun, and all but north-facing aspects
- Chalk, Clay, Loam or Sand soil
- It is great for patio and containers, city and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal gardens, wildlife gardens, and flower borders and beds
Chaenomeles superba (Orange Trail)
A small deciduous shrub with orange cup-shaped flowers in spring on leafless branches grows quince fruits that can be used for compotes or preserves after cooking. A quince fruit is yellow in colour, and has been used in cooking for centuries. It is recommended to cook a quince before eating, as it is too sour tasting if you choose to eat it raw. Either way, it is a great healthy choice, providing you with a rich source of vitamin C, which benefits your skin and your immune system.
- Buttercup-shaped flowers in a range of colours
- Flowers as the leaves start coming together
- Prefers full sun and partial shade, and is happy in all aspects
- Chalk, Clay, Loam and Sand soil
- Great in city and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal gardens, wildlife gardens, flower borders and beds, wall side borders, and climber and wall shrubs
Forsythia x intermedia ‘Week-end’
A medium-sized deciduous shrub with lance-shaped leaves and golden-yellow flowers that catch the eye well. Once you have planted this shrub, it will continue to grow and serve your garden well for many years. And the ‘Week-end’ variety is known to be particularly reliable.
- Easy to grow and inexpensive
- Flowers before the leaves come out, and flowers on old and new wood
- Prefers full sun and partial shade, and enjoys all but north-facing aspects
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, and Sand soil
- Great for city and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal gardens, flower borders and beds, hedging and screens, and wall-side borders.
Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’
A winter flowering shrub which features densely packed clusters of rose, pink, or blueish-white flowers that boast a heavy floral scent. Interestingly, the scent is reminiscent of a hydrangea. The RHS gave it its prestigious award of garden merit. It is best not to eat the fruit of this arrowwood plant, as it can lead to a mild stomach upset.
- Offers a burst of colour early on
- Flowers from autumn through to spring
- Prefers full sun and partial shade, and enjoys all aspects
- Chalk, Clay, Loam and Sand soil
- Ideal for flower borders and beds
Primula denticulata ‘Drumstick Primula’
An incredibly versatile, tolerant herbaceous perennial that copes well with poorly-drained conditions. This is probably aided by the fact that this perennial is native to the Himalayas, a very extreme environment. It’s gorgeous flowers have a delicate golden eye that draws the viewer to it’s rounded flowerheads. Award-winning by the RHS, it is a wonderful and colourful addition to your garden.
- Dense, rounded flowerheads typically in a lovely lilac shade
- Semi-evergreen
- Prefers full sun and partial shade, and likes all aspects
- Great for Loam soil
- Ideal for bog gardens, rock gardens, cottage and informal gardens, flower borders and beds
Fritillaria meleagris (Snake’s Head Fritillary)
Widely naturalised gardens and woodland areas in Britain, but probably not a true native, these beautiful flowers feature a tessellated pale and dark pink pattern like a checkerboard. This earned the flower its name, appearing to look like snake skin. Its flowers are nectar/pollen rich, which is particularly attractive to bees that may come to visit your garden.
- Bell-shaped purple flowers, can also get them in pure white
- Prestigious award of garden merit
- Likes full sun and partial shade, and enjoys all aspects
- Chalk, Clay, Loam and Sand soil
- Does well in a cottage and informal gardens, rock gardens, wildflower meadows, and flower borders and beds
Saxifraga Touran
Featuring rosettes of evergreen, lobed leaves and producing upwards-facing flowers, this is a lovely garden perennial. Its dissected succulent foliage provides interest year-round. If you’re looking for a small flower that really packs a punch, Saxifraga tourans is a great and easy little addition to any small space you need filling.
- Available in multiple colours
- A fast-growing and fully hardy option
- Likes full sun and partial shade, and prefers south-facing and west-facing aspects
- Chalk, Loam and Sand soils
- Great choice for a partially shaded scree garden, wall, alpine trough, city and courtyard gardens, gravel gardens, patio and container plants and garden edging
Bellis perennis ‘Double Pink’
A member of the daisy family, this plant can reach up to 20cm tall. These are specifically bred for bedding from original lawn weeds to have larger double flowers in a range of colours. With its pom pom like appearance, this flower is a great pop of colour for some empty space, and being low-growing, it is great for if you’re short of room.
- One of the more striking colours is pink, as they fade to white in the centre and a bright pop of yellow right in the middle really catches the eye
- Easy to grow and minimal fuss
- Likes full sun and partial shade, and does well in all aspects
- Chalk, Clay, Loam and Sand soil
- Great for rockeries and wildflower meadows
Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Sprinkles’
Ranunculus plants range from hardy, low-growing perennials to buttercups, boasting a great many colours. This variety is known as a ‘Persian buttercup’, and the label ‘Sprinkles’ references the stippled colouring of the petals. To top it all off, the Latin name sounds fantastic, much like a magical spell. Also, it is a great companion plant.
- Crepe paper-thin petals
- A single Ranunculus corm plant may produce as many as 35 flowers in one blooming season
- Prefers full sun, and either south-facing or west-facing gardens
- Loam or Sand soils are better for this perennial
- Ideal for city and courtyard gardens, gravel gardens or patio and container plants
Campanula portenschlagiana ‘Ambella Intens Purple’
Featuring bell-shaped blooms of dark purple flowers, this perennial is a gorgeous plant for year-long interest. It flowers in spring and summer, but the leaves are evergreen so you can enjoy them well into the winter.
- You have the option to grow this flower indoors or outdoors
- Has spherical growth, blooming from the heart of the plant
- Prefers full sun and partial shade, and will do well in all aspects
- Chalk, Loam or Sand soils
- Great additions to patio and container plants, gravel gardens, flower borders and beds, ground cover and underplanting of roses and shrubs
- Garden, patio, containers, hanging baskets
Pansies
- Adds exciting colours and flavours to everyday meals.
- Eat as garnishes, salads, cakes, and soups.
- From mild floral to peppery lettuce-like and often minty flavour.
- Soft, velvety texture.
- Leaves and roots aren’t considered fit for human consumption. Because of the saponin in their roots.
Violas
- Sweet, mildly spicy flavour
- Suitable for sweet and savoury dishes. Can also be used in teas.
- Leave them to sit in cold water to swell up slightly, before adding them to salads.
- To crystallise them, use a fine brush to paint them with egg whites and scatter them with caster sugar. Leave to dry for two hours. Use within a week.
Potting and planting
There are so many plants that you can put in containers. Firstly, the secret is to make sure you have good drainage at the bottom of containers, as you don’t want to over water your plants. Also, if there is a large period of rain, your pots will benefit from it’s own drainage system. You could even make your own plant pot if you have something lying around like an old bucket or pail. This could be quite the decorative feature, just make sure to put holes in the bottom.
Pot feet are great to make use of. You can buy them in most garden centres, and there are a large variety of quite decorative ones if you want to make a statement. Otherwise, you can use wine corks instead if you want to save some money, they work just as well.
Finally, ensure that you use peat-free compost in your containers, as this is much better for the planet.
With the right plants in your garden, this spring will be full of colour to brighten up your space and your mood. With lighter days and nights, what better to have at home than your own colourful display?
For some more about Spring Colour in your garden:
Or check out my Pinterest board for more ideas:
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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