Early blooms for the first days of spring

Sunday Gardener: Early bloomers for the first days of spring

IF YOU’RE NOTICING THIS BEAUTIFUL SHADE OF BLUE IN THE GARDEN, IT COULD BE THE FORGET ME NOTS. IT’S ONE OF THE MANY PLANTS THAT BLOOMS FIRST IN THE SPRING. I’M HERE AT CARRIE ENGEL AT VALLEY VIEW FARMS, AND I THINK WE’RE JUST SO EAGER FOR THOSE FIRST POPS OF COLOR, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. SO I LOVE THE DIANTHUS BECAUSE THEY BLOOM IN ALL SORTS OF COLORS. THEY’RE IN RED, WHITE, PINK. AND WHAT’S NICE ABOUT THESE IS THEY BLOOM EARLY, BUT THEY CONTINUE TO BLOOM FOR A LONG TIME. UNLIKE A LOT OF THE PERENNIALS, A LOT OF PERENNIALS WILL BLOOM FOR ABOUT A MONTH, AND THEN THEY’RE SORT OF GONE. BUT THAT’S MULTI-SEASON. YOU JUST KEEP GOING THROUGH IT. YEAH. ROCKCRESS THIS IS A GREAT EARLY BLOOMER AND IT GIVES YOU THAT BEAUTIFUL COLOR. IF YOU’RE OUT IN YOUR GARDEN LATER IN THE DAY, YOU SEE THAT WHITE. IT JUST POPS FOR YOU. SO SOMETHING I LIKE TO PLAN AROUND MY PATIO JUST TO PICK UP SOME OF THAT AMBIENT LIGHT. AND THEN OVER NEXT TO THAT, WE HAVE THE HELLEBORES. THESE ARE CALLED LENTEN ROSE. THIS IS WHEN THEY USUALLY DO BLOOM, BUT THEY’RE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT CAME UP IN MY GARDEN THIS YEAR. I THINK THEY’VE BEEN IN BLOOM ALREADY FOR A MONTH. SO I IMAGINE IF THEY’RE COMING UP NATURALLY ON THEIR OWN, THEY’RE PROBABLY RESISTANT TO SOME FROST AND FREEZE. AS SOON AS THAT SNOW IS GONE. THEY WERE THERE. IT’S LIKE, OKAY, WE’VE GOT SOME EXTRA WATER HERE. NOW WE’RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND BLOOM FOR YOU. YEAH, THERE’S SOME REALLY PRETTY COLORS BEHIND US TOO. YEAH, THESE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PRIMROSES. YOU’LL ALSO GET A LOT OF DIFFERENT HEUCHERA, WHICH IS REALLY JUST A LEAF. THEY’LL KEEP GOING. A LOT OF YOUR FERNS ARE COMING UP NOW. THIS IS THE PINK. FORGET ME NOT. THERE IS A NATIVE. BUT THAT’S GOING TO BE WHITE. SO YOU DON’T WE DON’T SEE THAT A LOT OF STORES. SO WE KIND OF STICK TO SOME OF THE CULTIVARS. YEAH. OH MY GOD. THESE COLORS ARE JUST AMAZING. I LOVE THAT THEY ARE THOSE FIRST COLORS THAT YOU SEE WHEN MANY OTHER PLANTS ARE BLOOMING. TRUE. SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO GET THESE EARLY BLOOMERS IN THEIR GARDEN, WHAT’S THE FIRST THING THEY SHOULD DO? WELL, AGAIN, DOUBLE CHECK. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FERTILIZER JUST ENOUGH TO GET THEM IN. AND I JUST GO THROUGH AND CLEAN UP WHATEVER YOU HAVEN’T CLEANED UP. SO IN MY CASE, I PUT ALL MY LEAVES IN THAT BED, SO I HAVE TO GET ALL OF THEM OUT OF HERE AND CUT OFF ANY LEAVES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OVER WINTER. ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THAT LENTEN ROSE AGAIN, IS THAT IT’S RESISTANT. IT LOVES THE SHADE. IT’S JUST THE PERFECT PLANT FOR MY GARDEN. IT JUST KEEPS COMING. YOU’RE REALLY SOLID. LOTS OF REASONS TO ENJOY THESE PLANTS AND FORGET ME. NOT. THAT’S SOMETHING YOU CAN DO.

Sunday Gardener: Early bloomers for the first days of spring

Updated: 12:08 PM EDT Mar 22, 2026

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The forget-me-nots and hellebores are blooming, and Valley View Farms has everything you need to plant them in your garden.