After its winter hibernation, the garden stirs with life again in March – daffodils rear their vibrant heads and blossoms starts blanketing tree branches.
But while most of us are keen to get plants in the ground, with the weather still being a little unpredictable at this time of year, it’s important to ensure they can tolerate a little chill – and be moved to a safe space, or be covered if need be.
Besides cold-weather crops like lettuce, carrots, peas and coriander, there are a few things you can add to get some pops of colour in early spring. Here are a few cool-season flowering plants to get in the ground in the next week or so.
Sweet alyssum
Another pollinator lover, sweet alyssum will attract bees, butterflies, and loads of beneficial insects like ladybugs and hoverflies, which help keep aphids under control.
Planting in early spring will help the roots grow strong before the heat of summer, and because they are frost tolerant, it’s okay to get them in the ground a week or two before the last projected frost date.
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Established alyssum plants can tolerate temperatures down to 7°C for short spells but be sure to cover newly planted starters if it’s going to dip especially low.
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Calibrachoa (million bells)
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I love how old-fashioned these flowers feel – I can picture loads of them on my grandmother’s porch. If given a chance to get well established and set up a strong root system early in the season, Million Bells will be loaded with blooms all summer long. These are beautiful in hanging baskets, and since they are sensitive to frost, can easily be protected when planted this way if a cold snap rolls in. To be safe, wait until nights are consistently above 4.5°C – 7°C before planting so they don’t stall in cold soil.
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Annual geraniums
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I love to plant annual geraniums in pots and place them around the patio. Something about them reminds me of summers in the French countryside (we can all dream). Since they are not frost tolerant, having them in pots will allow me to either tuck them up against the house when a chill rolls in or if it’s going to be super cold, bring them inside.
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Catmint
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If you want to attract pollinators, you must have this plant in the garden. Related to mint (so it can spread like mint unless you get a sterile hybrid that doesn’t spread by seed), this hardy perennial can have purple, pink, or white blooms throughout the season. Plant in the spring so it has time to get established and is ready to provide nectar for bees, butterflies. I am going to plant catmint in a spot that gets loads of sun since it flowers best in full sun. And since it can handle a wide variety of soil, the spot I have in mind (a rough patch between where my neighbour and I park our cars) fits the bill.
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Pansies and violas
Charlyne Mattox for Country Living
Pansies that have been in my yard since November.
Both pansies and violas can handle snow and frost, but violas are better suited to heat. So ahead of summer, I am going to scatter a few flats of violas around the garden. I’ll plant them in part shade to give them a better chance of surviving summer, but they will start to struggle when the temps are consistently in the high 26-32°C. Keep them moist and deadhead regularly to encourage more blooms.
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The spring floral edit
Gabrielle Solly Illustration ‘Floral Delights’ Postcard Set
Brighten someone’s day with one of Gabrielle Solly’s whimsical watercolour designs.
Melody Ryder Designs Embroidered Hedgerow Lampshade
This delicately hand-embroidered fabric lampshade is a subtle way to inject some botanical charm into your interiors.
Created by Trisha Wood Daffodil broken china pendant
Trisha Wood creates one-of-a-kind jewellery using vintage fine china – a thoughtful gift for a loved one.
Victoria Matthewson Embroidery Flax Flower Silk Shading Embroidery Kit
This kit contains everything you need to make this elegant silk embroidery yourself. It would look beautiful hung in a bedroom.
Hayley & co Blue and Pink Floral Cotton Quilted Weekend Duffle Bag
Travel in style: this vibrant lined cotton tote has room for all your weekend essentials.
Hygge and Hearth Daisy and Lavender Botanical Scented Candle
Unwind with floral and herbal fragrances, while the seashells and dried stems lining this pretty candle glow and flicker.
Charlyne Mattox is the Food and Crafts director with over 20 years recipe development, recipe editing, and crafting experience. Prior to starting at Country Living in 2014, she worked in the crafts department at Martha Stewart Living and Martha Stewart Kids before attending cooking school at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. She was nominated for a James Beard media award while a senior editor at Real Simple magazine and authored a cookbook Cooking with Seeds.
When not in the kitchen she loves to garden, focusing on growing flowers and kitchen herbs (of course), watering her 25 house plants, and knitting scarfs or hats she will never be able to wear in the always hot and steamy Alabama.
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