By: Christina T.

You know spring is here when trees start to bud and leaf out, and when color starts to show in the garden. Adding MN hardy perennials and shrubs to your garden take the work out of having to add color every year. Established plants require minimum care, besides trimming and pruning, and offer color at different times of the year. For year-round color interest it is best to add plants that bloom at different times throughout the spring/summer/fall. Spring is a beautiful time of the year that reminds us there is life after a long winter season. Here are our top picks for Spring blooming perennials.

Dianthus

The perennial Dianthus is a wonderful medium growing perennial offering texture and color for a sunny area. This plant has thin, grass-like foliage with flower stems shooting up just above the foliage, blooming with brilliant color. It reaches about 8-12 inches overall, height depending on variety. We offer a selection of colors in shades of red, pink, and purple. Some offer a double, layered flower while others have a ruffled edge. This plant is great for borders and along walkways.

Bleeding Hearts

The Bleeding Heart is a popular plant for the shade or part shade. Wonderful green, fern-like foliage fills out before sending out long shoots of pink and white, red and white, or solid white heart-shaped blooms depending on the variety. Blooms open to a heart shape flower hanging in a row. Their unique flower and soft foliage make a show stopping accent to your garden. This plant is best planted in the middle of the garden reaching about 24-26” tall.

Brunnera

The Brunnera or Heartleaf Alkanet is a wonderful plant for a shaded or mostly shaded area. This plant is desired for its silvery or all green broad, heart-shaped foliage. Not only does the foliage make you fall in love, but its true blue, tiny flowers are to die for. New buds shoot up from within the foliage opening above the foliage dusting with airy blue color. This plant is great for borders or pathways throughout the garden adding an element of texture. Foliage reaches about 12-14” tall perfect for in front of hostas.

Ajuga

The Ajuga is a unique ground cover plant for shaded areas. Its foliage creeps along the ground spreading out as 3-4” flower shoots spring up from the ground. This plant offers variegated or dark purple foliage and pink or purple blooms depending on variety. This plant is considered deer resistant and can attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Its low growing habit is great for rock gardens and borders

Columbine

The Columbine is a wonderful native plant to MN. Soft, mounding foliage offers three, scalloped-edged leaves in a lush green color. Flowers are generally offered in a two-toned color in light pastels. 5 petals open up to 5 more tubular-shaped petals. Use for fresh cut flower arrangements in your home or keep them in the garden to attract hummingbirds. Most varieties reach about 10-12” tall. Add this plant in the middle of a sunny garden for a pop of spring color.

Pulmonaria

The Pulmonaria or Lungwort is certainly an interesting plant. Long, narrow, green foliage is speckled with silver accents giving it a tropical feel. This plant has a low, mounding growing habit with clusters of vivid raspberry-pink flowers. Place this plant in the front of a shaded garden or along pathways. Although this plant is a late spring bloomer, it works great for attracting hummingbirds.

There you have it: our top picks for spring blooming perennials!

Spring Blooming Perennials