Flowers to beautify the outside of your home
By installing a raised flower bed and planting large plants, you can easily mask exposed concrete and add a burst colour to blank or boring exterior walls. We suggest opting for big bushy plants with voluptuous blooms. Here are some great options:
- Rhododendrons: Plant them with access to full sun, as well as a bit of shade after the last frost. Their blooms will be colourful and fragrant, and should last about three weeks.
- Azaleas: From the genus Rhododendron, Azaleas look quite similar to the blooms above. However, their leaves are more narrow and pointy, and they tend to be a little heartier than their fussy counterparts. Keep them well-watered and watch them bloom throughout the spring.
- Hydrangeas: These perennial beauties can keep you company for up to 50 years if well cared for! Hydrangeas bloom in plump round balls and grow up to four feet tall. Plant them with access to morning sun, about four feet apart.
Bold and vibrant plants for hints of colour
Injecting some colour in your yard can really uplift the spirits. Many colourful blossoms show up in the early spring when they’re needed most. Below are some of our favourite colourful spring flowers.
- Iris: It’s a remarkable sight when the pencil-thin stem of an iris unfurls its vibrant flower. Irises grow in a magical display of colours, from blue to lilac to sunshine yellow. These perennials should be planted near the end of summer and will bloom the following summer.
- Tulips: The iconic spring flower, once worth more than gold, brings early signs of life to spring. Plant Tulip bulbs in the fall and prepare to see their annual blooms bring a much-needed spark of colour to your yard in the early parts of spring. You can cut Tulips once the flowers have emerged but not bloomed and place them in a vase of water for some indoor inspiration as well.
- Daffodils: These happy rays of sunshine will brighten your day. Plant them in October and watch them bloom in the early spring. A sure sign of changing seasons, and brighter days ahead.
Ground cover plants to fill in the gaps
Every yard needs a mix of tall plants, shrubs, colourful blooms, and ground cover. Ground cover plants are great for bordering driveways or walkways, planting over prominent tree roots, or covering gaps between large shrubs. Here are some suggestions:
- Hostas: Native to Japan, these plants will swell to enormous sized bushes while remaining low to the ground. Usually in bloom from May to July, these perennials are a backyard staple.
- Alyssum: Dainty, but hardy, these sweet plants produce carpets of tiny flowers that can grow through till winter. Alyssum can grow in tough climates, so it’s a great option for Canadian gardeners.
- Creeping Phlox: This colourful flowering plant is both hardy and adaptable. You’ll see it often growing from crevices in stone walls, or in rock gardens. Once the flowers have bloomed, the green leaves will remain most of the year and continue as ground cover.
- Corsican Mint: This plant gives off a light minty smell when stepped on, but isn’t super hardy. Best planted around stepping stones or pathways, Corsican mint will spread through its narrow stems that take root as they grow (and make for a delicious mojito).
Fragrant plants for a scent-sational garden
Gardens can be a complete sensory experience when layered with sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. There’s nothing better than the sweet, fragrant smell of a yard in full bloom, and we’ve got some recommendations to help you get there.
- Wisteria: Right out of a fairy tale, Wisteria grows in cascading waves of flowers. Plant in spring or fall while the plant is dormant, and make sure it has something to grow on. Wisterias love arches and pergolas to dangle from.
- Scented Geranium: It’s actually the leaves, not the blooms, of scented Geranium that give off their rich smell. A generally inconspicuous plant, Geraniums come in a variety of smells, from rose to mint and even chocolate!
- Lavender: Lavender gives off an intoxicatingly strong smell. Originating from the Mediterranean, Lavender will bring the south of France to your backyard. Plant in the spring and watch it bloom through the summer. As an added bonus, Lavender can be harvested and dried for cooking, cleaning, and other medicinal uses throughout the year.
- Lilac: Lilacs give off a damp honey-sweet scent, blooming in round bulbs similar to Hydrangeas. Lilacs need humus-rich, fertile soil to grow. Make sure the soil is able to drain well, or it won’t bloom.
- Rose: Roses are a romantic addition to any backyard, with their floral scent well-loved across the globe. There are hundreds of varieties of roses, ranging from ground cover to large bushes, so be sure to research your ideal size and growing style before committing to planting one.
Pollinator magnets to nurture the bees
The sign of a healthy garden is one that takes on a life of its own. Morning birds chirp and the mid-afternoon bees buzz from flower to flower doing the day’s work. If you’re interested in nurturing birds, bees, and butterflies, these are great flowers to plant.
- Wild chives: A perennial member of the onion family, chives are edible (bonus!) but also great for pollinators. A small purple flower will bloom from the top of a chive which encourages bees to show up. These plants prefer cool areas, and once matured, grow faster than you can use them!
- Black-eyed Susan: Attracting moths, butterflies, bees, wasps and other critters, Black-eyed Susans are well-loved by our flying friends. They love the sun and will bloom from July to October, keeping your garden in bloom later into the fall.
- Pansy: Bees love these whimsical, colourful flowers. They’re great for containers or ground cover and spread quickly. Many types of pansies can bloom in early spring or later in autumn, keeping your garden buzzing for many months.
Where can you purchase these flowers?
Most of these flowers can be purchased at your nearest garden centre or nursery. More exotic flowers might need to be purchased as seeds and germinated at home. Edgebrook Farms is a great Canadian seed supplier option. Etsy is another great option for seed purchases if you’re having a hard time finding the plant.
With this list of spring blooms, you’re bound to have one of the most colourful and lush gardens on the block! Enjoy the process of being outside and connecting with nature. Once you’re finished with your spring garden, there are lots of other fun backyard projects you could take on!
Courtesy - Home Improvement Annisha Lashand
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