This time of year we are all itching to get in the garden. All it takes is a few warm days, some sunshine and we are all ready to dig in the dirt. At the garden center we get asked all the time, what can I plant now? There are many choices for early spring perennials, and with proper planting, you too can have beautiful blooms this time of year. Just be sure to amend your soil with Van Wilgens Premium Planting Mix and add Jump Start to push root growth so your perennials have a healthy start. Top with mulch so your blooms stay nice and cozy and your good to go! Here a few of my early spring favorites.

  1. Hellebore- Great shade-tolerant deer-resistant perennial that comes in a rainbow of colors
  2. Candytuft (Iberis)- profuse white blooms and neat mounding habit make for a perfect early season edging plant
  3. Columbine (Aquilegia)- Eastern US Native with distinctive show-stopping flowers
  4. Creeping phlox- Gorgeous mounding groundcover with pastel flowers giving way to mossy green foliage
  5. Forget me not (Myosotis)- Long-lasting, true blue flowers make for an unforgettable plant
  6. Rockfoil (Saxifraga)- a super cold hardy plant with early blooms that’s at home in any alpine planter or garden
  7. Yellow Alyssum (Aurinia)- traditional cottage garden border plant that’s also at home in alpine gardens or as a border groundcover
  8. Windflower (Anemone)- The early spring entry in this broad plant family provides huge blooms in an array of colors to brighten up any spring landscape

Will O’Hara

Perennial Manager

lphenomenalWith the recent extended period of dry weather, I thought this would be a great opportunity to highlight some of our Van Wilgen Grown, drought-tolerant perennials. While during the planting period these plants require water, one established these plants can survive on minimal supplemental water.
English Lavender -Lavender is a great drought perennial. It really prefers the driest soil possible. We carry a variety of sizes and these plants are extremely fragrant that also make a great cut flower.
Sedum – These plants are commonly known as stonecrop. They typically grow between 12-18″ tall and will bloom in late summer through early fall. These plants are excellent pollinators for bees and butterflies. We have several different varieties to choose from and their flower color range from different shades of pink. It is a great plant for any fall garden.
Sempervivum – These plants are commonly known as Hens and Chicks. They are extremely drought tolerant and look just like desert succulents. They spread over time hence giving them their name of Hens and Chicks. We carry a cool line of sempervivums that are called Chick Charms which come in an array of bright colors.
Artemisia – These plants are commonly known as wormwood. They have silvery soft foliage that forms a great mound in the garden. They will grow 6-12″ tall and 18-24″ wide. They look great when planted in a mass in a border or cottage garden.
This is a small sampling of our drought-tolerant perennials. I encourage you to come to visit our garden center to see our full line of plants and see what would be the best fit for your garden!

As we shake off the chill of what seems to be a never-ending winter, it is natural and even soothing to look for those first signs of life in your garden. But while your Crocus may be struggling to push its pretty purple flowers past the snow, there is no plant I look forward to in my winter garden more than my hellebores. Hellebores love the shade, are drought-tolerant, and deal with the ravages of New England’s up and down temperatures better than any early blooming plant I’ve ever planted. Every year, I add two or three more to my under tree gardens, expanding my color palette to pinks, purples, whites, and, this year, even multi-colored varieties. We truly have something for every type of garden.

Will O’Hara

Perennial Manager