Plants for Spring: A Beginner’s Guide

Spring is in the air. And what better way to celebrate the season than surrounding yourself with vibrant flowers throughout your garden and inside your home.

Here we’ll take you through our pick of the bunch – including what to display, when to plant spring flowers and how to look after your plants.

Outdoor Spring Plants

From beautiful blooming bulbs to spring flowering plants, and blossoming seasonal shrubs, there’s lots to get growing outdoors.

Tulip colours

Available in almost every shade, choose from pink, red, orange, purple, yellow, white and even black.

Tulip availability

Buy bulbs from September to December or pick up potted tulips from early spring.

I’ve written these sections with full sentences, but could be stripped back if we need the word count back.

Tulip lifespan

Each tulip will flower for roughly 2 weeks (depending on the weather). To give them the best chance of coming back next year, deadhead after flowering. When the foliage has also died back, cut it down, dig up the bulb and store it somewhere dry to plant again in autumn (tulips prefer to be lifted rather than left in the ground).

Tulip care tips

Plant bulbs during late October through to December. Different varieties will need slightly different conditions, but most tulips like a nutrient-rich, well-drained soil and a spot with part or full sun.

I’ve written these sections with full sentences, but could be stripped back if we need the word count back.

Hellebore colours

You’ll find hellebores with green, light purple, dark purple, white, pink, red, blue and grey flowers. Quite a range!

Hellebore availability

Plants are available throughout winter and spring.

Hellebore lifespan

Hellebores are perennial, so they’ll flower each year with the right conditions and maintenance.

Hellebore care tips

Plant in well-drained soil from winter through to spring. Hellebores like a spot with some shade if possible. A slow-release fertiliser in autumn and spring will help them thrive (especially if in a pot). Cut off old shoots after flowering but leave new growth.

Daffodil colours

Available in white, yellow, orange, peach, pink and red. The first blue daffodil was cultivated in Wales in 2022, but it looks like you’ll have to wait until around 2030 to buy one.

Daffodil availability

Take your pick of a wide range of daffodil bulbs from September to November. Or buy them in pots from January through to late spring.

Daffodil lifespan

Each daffodil will flower for 2-3 weeks and will flower again for many years to come. Just like tulips, it’s important to deadhead daffodils after they’ve flowered. When their foliage has also died back, cut them down. Either dig up the bulbs and store them somewhere dry to plant again in autumn or leave them in the ground.

Daffodil care tips

Plant daffodil bulbs from September to October. Extremely low maintenance, daffodils will grow anywhere in well-drained soil with part or full sun.

Hyacinth colour range

Take your pick from cerise, pink, white, cream, salmon, china blue, deep blue, light blue and lilac.

Hyacinth availability

Pick up bulbs from late summer through to autumn.

Hyacinth lifespan

Plant your bulbs outside in early autumn, they’ll bloom in late spring. After blooming, deadhead the flowering spike and wait until their foliage has died back before cutting right down. Lift bulbs out of the soil and store them somewhere dry to replant in autumn of the next year. Usually the bulbs will last you 3-5 years.

Hyacinth care tips

Pick a sunny spot for your pot and make sure the soil remains moist but not too wet. Luckily hyacinths don’t need much maintenance.

Begonia colours

Begonias are available in orange, pink, red, yellow and white.

Begonia availability

Buy indoor begonia plants in Spring nd corms (if you want to try growing them outdoors) from January in local garden centres and online.

Begonia lifespan

A begonia’s lifespan will depend on the species. Begonias suited to indoor conditions can live for many years.

Care tips

Place your potted begonia somewhere it will get plenty of indirect sunlight. Keep the soil wet but be careful not to overwater. Remove dead flowers and leaves. Remember to keep your begonia indoors during spring as it won’t survive the colder temperatures.

Aloe vera colours

The aloe vera is a green plant, but other types of aloes can be red, orange and yellow with a range of colourful flowers.

Aloe vera availability

Available widely throughout the year.

Aloe vera lifespan

They can live up to 12 years.

Aloe vera care tips

Find a sunny spot for your aloe vera to encourage growth. Water when the soil is dry but be careful not to over water it as the roots may rot (water less in winter too). Repot after 2-3 years to give it enough space to grow.