Spring is a glorious time of the year when many plants burst into leaves and start to flower profusely. So don’t let April showers stop you from enjoying your garden and all that it has to offer! Once outside, if you feel your garden could do with an input of colour, then here are ten plants looking great now.
1. Fritillaria imperialis (Crown Imperial)
The orange flowers on this handsome plant appear in early spring on long, strong flower stems which can reach up to 120cm in height. The flowers are a gloriously cheerful sight at this time of year and well worth growing as once established, the plants are undemanding. It forms part of the lily family and so can be prone to lily beetle which should be picked off when spotted on the leaves.
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 100cm tall and 30cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun to dappled shade
- Sheltered
2. Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae (Mrs Robb’s bonnet)
This dark green-leaved evergreen plant is ideal for a dry, shady part of the garden where many other plants fail to grow well. At this time of the year, it produces large, rounded sprays of yellow-green flowers. It’s best to wear gloves when planting or handling as some people are allergic to the milky white sap produced from any of its broken stems.
- Flowers from April to June
- Hardy
- Grows to 60cm tall and 90cm wide
- Moist, well-drained soil
- Full to part shade
- Exposed
3. Prunus ‘Shirotae’ (Mount Fuji cherry)
There is no better indicator of spring than the sight of cherry blossom. This cultivar is one of the first of the Japanese cherries to flower, producing masses of honey-scented dazzling white blossom around mid-April, just before the fresh green new leaves appear on the tree. The tree also looks stunning in the autumn when the leaves turn to glowing shades of orange and yellow and makes the ideal specimen tree for a medium size garden.
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 800cm tall and 600cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
4. Galium odoratum (Sweet woodruff)
Sweet woodruff is a hardy perennial woodland plant and makes ideal ground cover for those difficult dry shade areas under shrubs and trees. Come spring clusters of pretty, sweet-smelling, white flowers appear which can be dried and used in potpourri!
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 30cm tall and 100cm wide
- Moist, well-drained soil
- Part to full shade
- Exposed
5. Pieris japonica ‘Forest Flame’ (Pieris)
Pieris is the perfect plant for gardens with acidic soil and this handsome evergreen variety produces stunning, burnt orange, red colour new leaves at this time of the year, which gradually turn to pink, cream and finally, green! It can be grown in sun or part shade as long as the soil remains moist but not waterlogged. It will also produce pretty white flowers and appreciates an annual mulch of well-rotted pine needles.
- Flowers from March to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 400cm tall and 200cm wide
- Fertile, moist but well-drained acidic soil
- Dappled to part shade
- Sheltered
6. Ribes sanguineum ‘Pulborough Scarlet’ (Flowering currant)
This hardy shrub has gorgeous lobed leaves that come with a wonderful foliage fragrance. In spring, this flowering currant features brilliant flowers in either pink, red, or yellow, so an option for any colour palette. A lovely element of this shrub is that it is a great addition to a wildlife garden as it provides ample nectar for pollinators.
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 800cm tall and 600cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Sheltered
7. Clematis alpina (Clematis)
This early, spring-flowering climber is the ideal choice for a north or east-facing position in the garden and is covered in dainty mid-blue nodding, bell-shaped flowers between April and May followed by fluffy seed heads. The great thing about this type of clematis is that pruning is very straightforward; no need to prune at all, unless you want to restrict its spread, in which case just cut back to the length required immediately after flowering and that’s all there is to it!
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 300cm tall and 150cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun or part shade
- Exposed
8. Cercis canadensis var. texensis ‘Traveller’ (Texas redbud)
If you’re looking for a small tree with several seasons of interest, this dwarf weeping cultivar could be the ideal choice as a focal point for the smaller garden. It bursts into life in April when its branches become smothered in clusters of rosy-pink-coloured flowers, followed by striking heart-shaped leaves. After flowering dark seed pods form which lasts well into winter.
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 150cm tall and 200cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun to part shade
- Sheltered
9. Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque flower)
There is nothing quite like the sight of the first Pulsatilla flower in the garden with its stunning, deep wine red/maroon cup shape flowers followed by ferny foliage appearing at the base of its stem. Leave seedbeds on if you want the plant to self-seed and create free plants! Plant at the front of a border, scree garden or alpine trough to best appreciate the beauty of these early spring flowers.
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 20cm tall and 20cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained, light, sandy soil
- Full sun
- Exposed
10. Malus ‘Rudolph’ (Crab apple)
This medium-sized deciduous tree produces pretty, pink spring blossom opening from deep red buds, followed by copper-red leaves which turn green come the summer. It delights again in the autumn months when the leaves turn striking shades of yellow and the elongated edible red/yellow fruit ripen and can be used to make crab apple jelly. This variety can also be pruned to restrict growth or trained as an espalier against a wall.
- Flowers from April to May
- Hardy
- Grows to 400cm tall and 200cm wide
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Full sun
- Exposed
Get ready for a bright and colourful garden this March with my top ten plants.
Find out more about choosing colour for 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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