Outdoor Furniture Plus' Blog

Now that the holidays are over and the wintry permafrost has begun to lessen its hold on North America, it’s time for outdoor enthusiasts to begin planning their Spring and Summer gardens. You may have even done some planting over the autumn and winter months with bulbs and heartier plants. Depending on what time of year you want to cultivate your gardens, different plants and procedures are required.

This year, though, don’t fall into the trap of planting the same old things you do each year. Try some new varieties of flowers and shrubs in your planters and planter boxes. Let’s look at some of the more popular flowers from this year and last, and also at which plants will thrive during this time of the year.

Flowers are some of the most beautiful and fun plants to cultivate and work with on your planter bench, but it’s just simply not the optimal time of year for the majority of bright blooms. That being said, there are still plenty of vibrant choices available for early spring gardening. These plants differ in that they are low maintenance and can take a good deal of shade as well as a light frost, but look no less stunning than summer bloomers. Here are some cool weather alternatives:

Early Spring Diascia

Diascia is in the Scrophularlacease family, which includes the popular snapdragon. Better known as twinspur, Diascia produces tube-shaped flowers and features distinct, heart-shaped leaves. It has an open growth habit and tolerates cooler temperatures, shade and mild frost.

Some other popular early spring flowers include the following:

-Hydrangea arboescens

-Syringa

-Alcea Old Barnyard Mix

-Caryopteris “Longwood Blue”

-Echinacea “Coconut Lime”

-Muhlenbergia capillaris “Pink Muhly Grass”

-Passiflora “Sherry”

-Hosta “Aphrodite”

-Rosa “Zephirine Drouhin”

-Digitalis Giant Shirley Mix

-Asclepias tuberosa

-Acer palmatum “Oridono Nishiski”

One nice thing about using planter boxes for year-round gardening is that they are like a mobile plot of land. Not only can you move your plants indoors if it gets unbearably cold, but even throughout the warmer months you can move planters to area with more or less direct sunlight, away from wind, into covered areas, etc. By having such mobility, it’s much easier to keep plants healthy and growing no matter what the weather.

And once the weather gets nice enough for all types of plants, look out for some exciting new flower varieties to appear this year. These include:

Tiger Eye (Rudbeckia): large, daisy-like flowers with golden petals and dark brown central cones that grow up to 18 inches.

Pretty Much Picasso (Petunia): petunias are great for novice gardeners and this variety boasts pink and lavender trumpets with green edges.

Snow Princess (Alyssum): This long-lasting flower will bloom from May to past first frost. It resembles a big ball of snow, with an abundance of tightly packed white blossoms.

Zahara Starlight Rose (Zinnia): The white and red petals of this zinnia are lovely, and the plant thrives in a variety of climates, growing to about one foot high.

Jade Princess (Ornamental Millet): This interesting newcomer grows to about two feet in height, with light colored leaves, and brownish foxtail seed heads, reminiscent of a corn plant but much more striking.

Lemon Cream and Apricot Twist (Calendula): Unlike typical calendulas that don’t fare too well in extremely hot weather, the Lemon Cream and Apricot Twist flowers are more resilient, attract pollinators and offer creamy orange and yellow shades.

Trusty Rusty (Coleus): This especially bright, red and gold Coleus is a great center piece for outdoor pots and planters, growing to about two feet high by two feet wide.