We gardeners like to grow many different plants but there are a few that, over time, grow on us. In today’s blog, I’ll let you in on a few of my favorite early-blooming garden plants, ones that I feel have pizzazz!
GLORY-OF-THE-SNOW
Snow Glories, as I call them, aren’t the first of my early spring minor bulbs to bloom but they are the most dramatic in appearance. The tiny blue star-shaped flowers have a white center which creates a look that magically sparkles! Preferring the sunnier edges of the garden, each bulb grows to about 6 inches tall and produces 5 to 10 flowers on sturdy mahogany-colored stems. After blooming, they readily self-sow to provide even more sparkling flowers for next spring! Glory-of-the-Snow is hardy in Zones 3 to 8 and should be planted in the fall, so make a note now to add these beauties to your bulb list.
DAFFODIL ‘THALIA’
Serene ‘Thalia’ is indeed a lovely sight to behold in my early May garden as she enhances the blooms of other spring bulbs as well as early perennials. One of the Triandrus Narcissus, each 12 to 14 inch stem carries 1 to 3 blooms with a delightful fragrance. Thalia is an award-winning heirloom variety that dates back to 1916 and is sometimes referred to as the ‘Orchid’ Narcissus. Long-lived in the garden, her delicate appearance belies a tough constitution with the ability to hold up to changeable New England spring weather. Thalia is hardy in Zones 3 to 9, is more tolerant of shady areas and damp soils than other daffodils, and multiplies willingly each year to fill your garden with more of these gorgeous flowers!
OLD-FASHIONED BLEEDING HEART
Beloved by children as well as grown-ups, Bleeding Heart can grow into impressive clumps up to three feet tall and wide in areas where they receive plenty of morning sun, some afternoon shade and moist rich soil. They bloom with delicate arching sprays of pink or white hearts for several weeks in spring but these plants go dormant and die mysteriously back to the ground once summer seriously starts to heat up. Because of this disappearing act, it’s best to plant later emerging perennials such as ferns and hostas nearby to fill the gaps left in the garden .
Bleeding Heart is one of my earliest blooming perennials and as such combines beautifully with mid to late season Daffodils and Tulips as well as Brunnera, Ajuga, Pulmonaria, Solomon’s Seal, Wood Hyacinth, Forget-me-Nots and Hellebores. Native to Siberia and Northern China, Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart is hardy even in Zone 2.
BRUNNERA ‘JACK FROST’
Brunnera loves part shade and moist but well-draining soil. Tiny soft blue flowers resembling Forget-Me-Nots appear on delicate stems in spring but it’s the silvery heart-shaped foliage that makes this plant light up the garden all season long. Growing only 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, Jack Frost slowly spreads by rhizomes making it a great groundcover for shady gardens or an underplanting for roses. Brunnera, also known as Siberian Bugloss, is hardy in Zones 3 to 8.
LAMIUM ‘WHITE NANCY’
Early-blooming ‘White Nancy’ can tolerate quite a bit of sun but grows best in gardens where it receives some afternoon shade. It’s a low-growing plant to about 12 inches tall with a spread of about 24 inches, making it a great filler for gardens where it weaves itself charmingly through other plants. In patio pots, White Nancy not only plays the role of ‘filler’ but also spills gracefully over the side. The white flowers appear in May and repeat in flushes throughout the summer and into fall. The combination of bright white flowers and silvery foliage make this plant positively glow in the garden. Lamium is also an attractive addition to white or moon gardens and is hardy in Zones 3 to 8.
All of the above plants are not only super hardy and easy to care for but also deer and rabbit resistant!
I love brunnera, too. Have a variegated one (not Jack’s Frost…can’t recall the name) in the Fairy Slope under a lilac and adore it. I’ll be ordering some of those GLory in the Snow for sure!
Good to hear from you, Carolee!