Choosing the best plants for spring garden is the key to creating a colorful, thriving outdoor space that enhances your home’s landscape and brings the season’s energy to life. From vibrant blooms to lush greenery, the right plant selection sets the stage for a garden that flourishes well into summer.
In this blog, we’ll share creative ideas, practical tips, and expert recommendations for the best plants for spring garden. Whether you’re dreaming of fragrant flower beds, hardy perennials, or vibrant borders, these insights will help you design a space that’s as beautiful as it is functional. For those looking to take their garden to the next level, Mile High Lifescape offers exceptional landscaping services tailored to Denver’s unique climate and your personal style.
Ready to dig into fresh ideas and bring your spring garden to life? Let’s get started!
Why Is Spring the Best Time for Planting Trees?
Spring is the perfect time to plant trees, especially ones with strong, fleshy roots. It’s also a great season to add broadleaf evergreen shrubs and trees like rhododendrons, mountain laurel, boxwood, and hollies. These evergreens will grow strong and stay healthy throughout the year.
During spring, the soil naturally recovers from the winter chill, making it soft and ready for digging and planting. Trees and shrubs planted in early spring need less care and grow healthier. Planting now gives their roots plenty of time to settle and grow strong before the summer heat arrives. This helps the trees handle hot weather and dry spells better.
Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s grow!” So take advantage of this ideal season to create a lush, thriving landscape!
When To Plant Trees In Spring?
Early spring is the perfect time to plant trees for your garden. During this season, the soil is cool and moist, which helps young trees stay hydrated and prevents them from drying out. These conditions create the best environment for growth and give trees the strongest start.
If you’re looking to maximize your garden’s beauty and health, spring is the ideal time to plant some of the best plants for spring gardens, including trees that will thrive all year long!
What Are The Best Plants For Spring Garden?
Planting the right tree in the perfect spot can do so much more than just make you smile year after year. It’s a smart move that can boost your property’s value and even help lower your utility bills by providing shade and reducing cooling costs in the summer.
Plus, trees are a gift that keeps giving – they’ll grow and thrive for future generations to enjoy. When choosing trees, consider them as one of the best plants for spring gardens, offering beauty, value, and lasting impact.
6 Popular Flowers
Daffodil
Daffodils are one of the best plants for spring gardens and a joyful sign that spring is here! These sunny yellow flowers bring brightness to any garden with their cheerful, nodding blooms. You can find daffodils in a variety of sizes and shapes, including single and double blooms. They also come in other beautiful colors like white, pink, or orange.
The best part? Rodents typically avoid daffodils, so they’re less likely to be dug up compared to other spring flowers. Plus, they’re super easy to care for! Simply plant them in the fall in a sunny spot, and they’ll reward you with their vibrant blossoms year after year.
Tulip
Tulips are a favorite for spring flower gardens, offering a variety of colors and shapes to suit any style. From classic single blooms to doubles and even stems with multiple flowers, they’re always eye-catching. For the best results, choose a sunny spot to showcase these colorful, cheerful blooms. They’re truly some of the best plants for spring gardens!
Grape Hyacinth
Grape hyacinths may be small, but they pack a big punch in your spring flower garden! These adorable purple or white blooms multiply easily, so you’ll enjoy more of their clustered, star-shaped flowers every year. They even have a light, grape-like scent that adds a fun touch to your garden.
Plant them in the fall in a sunny spot, and they’ll reward you with a beautiful spring display. Just remember, they’re toxic to pets, so it’s best to keep them in areas away from your furry friends. Grape hyacinths are a perfect choice for adding charm and color to your garden!
Magnolia
Magnolias are a wonderful way to welcome the season with their stunning blossoms, blooming from late winter to mid-spring depending on the variety. These trees come in both evergreen and deciduous types, so make sure to pick one that fits well in your hardiness zone. With their wide-spreading branches and large, showy flowers, magnolias need plenty of room to grow. Find a spacious spot in your yard, and you’ll enjoy their beauty year after year.
Forget-Me-Nots
These pretty blue flowers grow quickly and spread all on their own, making them a great choice for your garden. Plus, they’re butterfly magnets, bringing even more beauty and life to your outdoor space.
Flowering Quince
This amazing flowering shrub shows off gorgeous red, orange, white, or pink blooms that last around 10 to 14 days. After the flowers fade, it produces small fruits that can even be used to make tasty jellies. A plant that’s both pretty and practical? That makes it one of the best plants for spring gardens in our heart!
6 Popular Tree
Boxelder
Don’t let anyone tell you that boxelder trees (Acer negundo) are just weed trees—‘Kelly’s Gold’ is proof they’re worth growing! This sturdy and low-maintenance maple tree shows off bright yellow leaves in the spring that turn into a beautiful chartreuse as the season goes on.
‘Kelly’s Gold’ makes a great centerpiece, lawn tree, or small shade tree. It grows fast and can reach about 30 to 40 feet tall. Plus, it’s tough enough to thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 8. If you’re looking for one of the best plants for spring gardens, this tree definitely deserves a spot!
Seven-Son Flower
If you’ve never heard of the seven-son flower tree (Heptacodium miconioides), you’re not alone—but it’s a fantastic choice for your yard! This tree is a true standout all year long. Its unique shape and peeling bark look interesting even in the winter.
In late summer, when most trees and shrubs stop blooming, the seven-son flower tree produces big clusters of white flowers. Then, about a month later, the flower sepals turn bright red, adding even more color to your garden.
This tree grows to about 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, making it perfect for smaller spaces. It’s hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 8 and is one of the best plants for spring gardens to bring beauty and interest to your landscape year-round!
Paperbark Maple
Its standout feature is its copper-colored, peeling bark that looks amazing all year long. Add to that its lovely green leaves in the growing season and bright scarlet color in the fall, and you’ve got a tree that’s a true showstopper.
The paperbark maple grows slowly, reaching about 25 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. Its open, airy shape only gets better with age, making it perfect for smaller gardens. Hardy in Zones 5 through 8, this maple is a fantastic addition to any yard.
Golden Pine
Evergreens are known for bringing color to your garden when it’s needed most—in the middle of winter. But the golden pine (Pinus virginiana ‘Wate’s Golden’) takes it up a notch. In the cold months, its green needles turn a stunning golden yellow, creating a cheerful winter display. When spring arrives, the needles turn back to green, just as the rest of your garden starts to bloom.
This tree grows slowly, reaching 15 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, though it can eventually grow up to 40 feet tall. It’s hardy and thrives in Zones 4 through 9, making it a great choice for a garden that shines year-round.
Sweet Gum
Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is a tree that’s hard to miss with its star-shaped leaves, which turn stunning shades of red, yellow, and orange in the fall. In winter, it produces spiky, star-shaped seedpods that some people find a bit messy. If you’d prefer a seedless version, try a variety like ‘Rotundiloba.’
This tree is hardy in Zones 5 through 9 and can grow up to 60 to 75 feet tall and 40 to 50 feet wide, making it a great choice for adding beauty and shade to your yard.
Red Oak
If you have the room, why not plant America’s national tree? Oaks are known for their strength, long life, and rich history in stories and myths.
With hundreds of species to pick from, red oak (Quercus rubra) is a favorite among landscapers. It grows fast, has a wide, rounded shape, and shows off stunning colors in the fall. Red oaks can grow up to 60 to 75 feet tall and just as wide, making them a beautiful and timeless addition to your yard.
6 Popular Vegetables and Herbs
Asparagus
Fresh asparagus spears are ready to pick in early to mid-spring. Look for firm stalks that aren’t soft or bendy. Asparagus tastes fantastic when roasted or grilled, and it cooks really quickly, making it perfect for a fast, healthy meal.
Plus, asparagus is one of the few vegetables that keeps growing year after year. If you want to grow your own, plant the crowns in a sunny spot in mid-spring, and enjoy the rewards for seasons to come!
Snap Peas
Garden peas, often called snap peas, are at their tastiest in the spring, making them a must-have for fresh recipes. Look for crunchy, bright green pods, then shell and steam them for a sweet and healthy treat. These little gems are super versatile and work in all kinds of dishes.
Peas are also one of the best plants for spring gardens because they’re easy to grow. Plant them about six weeks before the last frost, and be sure to give them a trellis or support to climb.
Arugula
Arugula, with its slightly spicy taste, is a great way to add a little kick to salads, pasta, or even as a pizza topping. While you can find it all year, spring is when it shines at farmers’ markets. It’s also one of the best plants for spring gardens because it’s so easy to grow.
As soon as the soil is ready, plant the seeds, and in about six weeks, you’ll be enjoying its fresh, delicious flavor straight from your garden!
Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is a colorful and tasty veggie with bright, rainbow-colored stalks and deep green leaves. It’s perfect for adding to frittatas, soups, or as a healthy side dish. The best part? It’s super easy to grow! Just plant it in a sunny spot, and you’ll have a beautiful and delicious addition to your garden in no time.
Spring Onions
Spring onions look a lot like scallions but have a rounder, bulb-like bottom. These sweet, tasty onions are at their best in the spring! You can roast them whole for a yummy flavor, slice them raw into salads, or even pickle them so you can enjoy them all year long. They’re a great addition to any meal!
Spinach
Spinach is available all year, but it tastes especially sweet in the spring. It’s perfect for so many dishes – whether you use it raw in a salad, bake it into a delicious spinach pie, or mix it into a tasty spinach dip. Plus, spinach is easy and fast to grow, making it a great addition to any garden!
Tips For Planting The Best Plants For Spring Garden
Check the Ground to Plan
Take a walk around your yard to plan out the best way to plant your tree. Look for anything underground, like wires or pipes, that might get in the way of your tree’s growth. Clean the area, check the soil, and collect a few samples to test its quality. Make sure you know the size of the space so you can choose the best tree for your garden. This planning will help your tree grow strong and healthy in the long run.
Choose the Right Time
Spring is the best time to plant trees. Make sure the temperature is warm enough and the ground isn’t too wet. It’s important to check that the soil is loose and drains well. If your soil isn’t ideal, you can add compost or mulch to help the tree get the moisture it needs.
Pick the Right Tree
Choose a tree that will do well in your area’s climate and weather. Visit your local garden center to ask about the best trees for your yard. They can help you pick a tree that will grow well in your soil and climate, making it thrive in your garden.
Find the Best Spot
Pick a good spot for your tree where it won’t grow into wires, buildings, or other plants. Make sure there’s enough space for the tree to grow without causing problems later on. Keep the tree away from your house, fences, and power lines. A little planning now will make sure your tree has plenty of room to grow strong and healthy without overcrowding other plants.
Dig the Hole
When planting your tree, start by digging a hole that’s twice as wide as the root ball. This gives the roots plenty of space to spread out and grow. Loosen the soil around the hole so the tree can settle in easily. The hole should be about five times the size of the root ball. Once the hole is ready, place the tree inside and move on to the next steps.
Remove Containers and Packaging
Before planting the tree, remove any plastic pots, peat pots, or other materials around the roots. If the tree is wrapped in burlap or wire baskets, gently remove these too. Be careful not to damage the roots. If the roots are circling inside the container, cut or loosen them to help the tree grow properly and avoid problems later on.
Feed the Soil
Once the tree is in the hole, fill it back up with the soil you dug out. Make sure the soil is loose and free of clumps. You can add compost to help the tree’s roots get the nutrients they need. Don’t cut branches unless they’re damaged or crossing each other.
Cutting branches unnecessarily can stress the tree and slow down its root growth. Let the tree grow naturally and focus on giving it the best start.
Remove Air Pockets
After planting, make sure there are no air pockets around the roots. These pockets can keep the roots from properly connecting with the soil. Once the tree is planted, cover the soil with mulch to protect the roots from wind and cold nights.
Be sure to water the tree well to keep it hydrated while it establishes its roots. This extra care in the beginning will help your tree grow strong and healthy.
Seek Professional Assistance
Planting a tree might seem like a big job, and it can be tricky even if you’ve done your research. It takes practice and the right skills to properly handle the roots and make sure they connect well with the soil.
That’s where the experts at Mile High Lifescape come in. Our arborists are here to guide you every step of the way – from checking your soil to helping with watering and adding nutrients. We take great care in making sure your trees get the best start, helping them grow strong and healthy for years to come.
If you’re looking for the best plants for spring garden, we can help you choose trees that will thrive in your yard!
Conclusion
Choosing the best plants for spring gardens transforms your yard into a colorful, vibrant retreat. From daffodils and tulips to sturdy magnolias, the right plants bring beauty, attract pollinators, and create a healthy, thriving landscape. Spring is the perfect time to plant, giving trees, flowers, and vegetables the chance to establish strong roots for the season ahead.
Whether you’re planning a DIY project or seeking professional help, Mile High Lifescape can guide you in selecting plants suited to your yard’s unique needs. Start your spring garden today and enjoy the rewards of a beautiful, flourishing outdoor space!
