Beauty bush

Beauty bush has several names, including Linnaea amabilis, Kolkwitzia amabilis, or simply beauty bush. Native to China, this shrub is popular for being extremely easy to grow. It’s tolerant of all soil types, moderately drought tolerant, and grows quickly. The beauty bush earns its name by growing many pale pink, bell-shaped flowers in the spring. This shrub can grow to between 6 and 10 feet tall and wide, but you can also keep it smaller through regular pruning.

Azalea

Azalea is a classic flowering shrub, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a type of rhododendron (another popular flowering bush) that comes in an array of colors. Although the flowers are classically pink or purple, you can also find them in orange, red, white, and yellow, making it easy to match an azalea bush to your garden’s aesthetics. Additionally, the bush’s popularity makes it easy to find at any nursery or garden center.

Butterfly bush

If you want to draw pollinators to your garden, or want stunning flowers that won’t wilt in dry weather, then a butterfly bush might be the right choice for you. Available in a wide variety of colors, the bush’s conical flower spikes are a favorite of butterflies, bees, and even hummingbirds! In addition to being drought tolerant, these shrubs have long-lasting blooms, so they’re a great choice if you want your garden to stay colorful most of the year.

Loropetalum

For a gardener with more unusual tastes, loropetalum is sure to be a delight. Also called the Chinese fringe flower, this shrub grows bright pink flowers with long, thin petals that splay outward. When not in bloom, this shrub is still a beauty. It has dark purple or pink leaves that won’t fade or fall in winter, providing color all year long!

Weigela

Weigela is the perfect shrub for northern gardeners who struggle to find flowering plants that survive cold weather. This bush can survive temperatures as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can enjoy its beautiful flowers each spring without fear! Its flowers can be many shades of pink, and there are even varieties with variegated leaves.

Whether you’re looking for a flowering shrub that can survive drought or cold weather, or you want something that’s easy enough for a true beginner to grow, we’ve got you covered. One of these five flowering bushes is sure to meet your needs and bring you joy. These shrubs make it simple to create a colorful garden full of flowers!

Forget-me-nots

Forget-me-nots, also known as scorpion grass, are sweet little flowers. They’re classically pale blue, but can also be light pink or white. These flowers typically only grow to heights of around 5 inches and can grow in small clumps for a more full appearance. They prefer moist, well-draining soil, but can develop mildew if the soil becomes waterlogged.

Lily of the valley

Lily of the valley is a slightly taller plant, but is still quite small and has thin stems. Reaching heights of 6 to 12 inches tall, this flower prefers morning sun, light shade, and slightly moist soil. Lily of the valley spreads horizontally through underground rhizomes, and some varieties can spread quickly. If it fills your flower pot, you can gently divide it into multiple plants, which make great gifts. Alternatively, you can clip some of the excess stems to place in a vase or for use in a bouquet.

Candytuft

Candytuft is a lovely white flower with dark green leaves. It typically only grows 6 to 8 inches tall, but it does have a spread of 1 to 2.5 feet. This spread is smaller when grown in containers, but it will fill a pot. Candytuft often drapes over the sides of its container, creating a beautiful waterfall-like effect. Planting your candytuft along the top of a wall can create the same cascading effect. For the best results, use well-draining soil and keep your candytuft in full sun.

Fairy foxglove

Fairy foxglove, or alpine balm, isn’t actually related to foxglove. This small European wildflower is hardy and extremely easy to grow. Native to rocky mountain slopes, it will even grow in sidewalk cracks! Simply plant this little flower in moderately dry soil and place it in a sunny area. Fairy foxglove only grows 3 to 6 inches tall, so it’s a perfect desk plant.

Plants to avoid

Some plants are large enough that it’s easy to avoid them. Most trees and shrubs, for example, as well as plants like sunflowers and Brussels sprouts. However, plants that spread can quickly get out of control without you even realizing it. Mint, ivy, and blackberries are small at first, but can easily take over a space if left unattended. If you plan on growing one of these plants, regular pruning can help keep them small.

Whether you plan on growing a single plant in a pot or creating a tiny garden outdoors this spring, these four flowers are the perfect starting place. They’re easy to grow, so even beginners can care for them without issue. This makes these flowers a great choice for practically any gardener!

Plant them with red and yellow flowers to create a fiery gradient, or mix them with blue flowers for a lively arrangement. Whether it’s creating a border of marigolds or hanging a charming goldfish plant inside, you have a wide range of options when it comes to incorporating orange into your space. For ideas on which plants to use, here are some of the most striking orange garden plants out there.

Marigolds (Tagetes erecta)

Reminiscent of carnations, these crepey orange flowers native to Mexico will add a pop to any yard. Besides their cheerful color, marigolds also draw beneficial ladybugs and bees into your garden. On top of all that, they’re pretty easy to maintain, as they tolerate heat, drought, and transplanting quite well.

In most cases, they are annuals, but they self-sow so you can enjoy them for a long time down the line. Deadheading isn’t necessary, but it does help blooms continue to grow throughout the summer.

Butterfly weeds (Asclepias tuberosa)

Butterfly weeds are what they’re called because they attract butterflies and produce lots of nectar. Technically milkweeds, these flowers feature glossy green leaves and bloom clusters that can be orange or yellow. They grow well in most places, perennial to zones 3 through 9.

These bushy, low-maintenance plants prefer 6 or more hours of full sun a day and can grow in containers, too. Remember to keep them away from pets and children because butterfly weeds are toxic when consumed.

Daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva)

Available in many colors, including a lovely light or deep orange, daylilies are hardy flowers that thrive in zones 4 through 9. Predominantly from Asia, these flowers can survive rough conditions, including drought and poor soil. They also do well in shade or full sun, although they will produce more flowers in full sun.

You can plant them bareroot into the ground in early spring or pop them inside a container at any point during the growing season. As with many blooms, they attract butterflies — but they don’t attract pests.

Orange spider plant (Chlorophytum amaniense)

Technically a cousin to the spider plant, this striking plant, which also goes by the name of “mandarin plant,” features bright orange stems and petioles along with vibrant green leaves. When you look at it from the base and up, it almost looks like it’s glowing.

Mostly an easygoing plant, it does best in bright indirect light with consistent fertilizing throughout the growing season. Note that it is sensitive to tip burn, which can be caused by direct light or hard water. If you leave it outside (and you can do so in zones 9 through 11), give it shade. On the latter issue, you can water it with filtered water or tap water that’s been left out for a day.

Coppertips (Crocosmia)

Native to South Africa, coppertips feature rows of gorgeous tubular scarlet orange blooms on their branches. They only need adequate watering and well-draining soil; their main requirement is bright, full sun to produce striking flowers. They have a pretty late start in that you should begin growing them when other flowers are just about to bloom in late spring.

Summer is their time to shine: They enjoy full sun even with the heat and even if it comes with mugginess or drought in hot weather. Best of all, their flowers attract beneficial pollinators such as hummingbirds and butterflies. However, they won’t attract deer or rabbits if your garden is prone to those critters.

Prince of Orange philodendron

The Prince of Orange philodendron is a stunning tropical houseplant that features bright orange leaves that go from yellow to green as they mature. Often, all three colors appear in one plant. This tree philodendron is easy to keep inside the house — it only needs loose, well-draining soil and water when the soil dries out. Bright indirect light will also help it maintain its color scheme.

Those who live in zone 10 or higher can keep the Prince of Orange as an outdoor plant all year round, but it does perfectly well as a houseplant elsewhere. As this is a self-heading variety that only grows up to 2 feet wide, you won’t need to worry about pruning it.

Goldfish plant (Nematanthus gregarious)

Coming from Central and South America, the goldfish plant features striking red-orange blooms that resemble its namesake. Even when not in bloom, its glossy, trailing dark green leaves are a sight to behold and perfect for hanging baskets.

They do well in bright indirect light with well-draining soil. While they enjoy a good soak in the spring and summer, cut back on watering in the wintertime. Though perennial in zones 10 and 11, these tropical houseplants don’t need a lot of warmth — they do best at room temperature and may struggle with too much heat.

Get started on warming up your garden with orange now. There’s no need to maintain a citrus tree — simply bring in an orange flower border or hang an orange plant on your patio. Throughout the year, orange will add a rich, welcoming color to your outdoor landscape.

Early-blooming flowers

Flowers that bloom early in spring or late in winter are great choices to plant. Due to their bloom time, they’re often cold resistant, and they can add a bright pop of color to break up the smooth whites and browns of winter. If you’re growing them from seed, it’s best to plant them in the fall. However, you can often find seedlings or mature plants in nurseries early in the year.

Some great early-blooming flowers are:

• Crocus
• Snowdrops
• Daffodils
• Violets

Slow-growing fruits and veggies

If you plan on growing a lot of fruits and vegetables, you should be aware that some of them grow very slowly. In order to harvest them on time, plan to plant them early in the year. While some are sensitive to the cold and may need to start indoors, others can be planted directly in the soil as soon as it thaws enough to dig in!

Here are a few slow-growing plants to consider planting early:

• Brussels sprouts
• Artichokes
• Asparagus

Quick-growing cold-resistant fruits and veggies

If you’re already craving fresh fruits and veggies, you might want to focus on cold-tolerant plants that grow quickly. Planting these will let you get in a few quick harvests before many other fruits and vegetables are even ready to be planted! You can start the seeds indoors or plant them in early winter. However, to add them to your garden early in the year, check your local nursery for seedlings and nearly mature plants.

Look for these plants in particular:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Beets
• Turnips

Cover crops

If you plan to leave your garden empty for a time, then planting a cover crop can be helpful. Cover crops prevent wind and rain from washing away soil, but they can also return nutrients to the soil, giving your new planting season a boost. Many gardeners plant winter cover crops at the end of fall, but depending on your climate, you can still plant some of them in January.

Some cover crops are better suited for warm weather, but here are a few you can grow while it’s cold out:

• Winter rye
• Vetch
• Red clover
• Austrian winter peas

With proper planning, you can get a jump on this year’s growing season and bring your garden to life early! Whether you prefer flowers or vegetables, or just plan to leave your garden alone for a few months, this guide can help you get started. Some of these plants can even grow indoors, so if the weather where you live is still too cold to get out and garden, that doesn’t have to stop you from getting a jump on your new year of gardening.

Lily of the valley

Lily of the valley, or Convallaria majalis, is known for its clusters of dainty white bell flowers. These delicate, sweet-smelling blooms make for beautiful ground cover in early spring, if you love a romantic English cottage style. The lily of the valley plant can also have bright red berries in the fall, but be careful around kids and pets because all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested.

This flower does best in partial shade with evenly moist soil, but it can adapt to other areas depending on how much you water it. With time, an established plant will be relatively drought tolerant and won’t need feeding.

Bleeding heart

The embodiment of fairy-tale romance, the bleeding heart, or Dicentra spectabilis, is a late spring flower that’s all about its arching branches of dangling, heart-shaped blossoms. You want to pick out this stunning plant right before it sprouts. Because it tends to grow many rhizomes, it does best in a garden bed rather than bound within a container.

It can thrive in partial or full shade, often going into dormancy by midsummer. That said, it can continue blooming in cool summer climates with rich, consistently moist soil.  

Bird of paradise

Although sometimes kept as a houseplant, the bird of paradise, or Strelitzia reginae, does best as a stunning landscape plant with its tall, fanning stalks, glossy leaves, and beautiful orange and purple crested flowers that resemble birds. It takes a while to flower, tending to produce flowers around its sixth year of being planted.

The stalks are generally around 3 to 4 feet tall, while the crested blooms are roughly 6 inches long. To grow prolifically, a bird of paradise plant needs at least 3 to 4 hours of full sun daily and appreciates bimonthly growing season feedings with standard liquid fertilizer. 

Passion flower 

If you’re searching for unique flowers, the passion flower should be at the top of your list for your spring garden. As delicate as the passiflora plant looks, it’s a pretty hardy bloom and can be a vigorous grower in warm areas with lots of light. In fact, the Passiflora caerulea variety can even grow as a houseplant. It’s beloved for its stunning structure that features five multiple white petals encircling a collection of colorful, striated filaments with protruding anthers and stigmas at its center.

This plant thrives in moist, mulched soil and underneath full sun for healthy blooms that can last until fall. As it grows, support it with a trellis or fence. Give it a monthly application of balanced plant food throughout the spring and summer.

African violet 

Although people commonly grow it as an indoor plant, the African violet flower, or Saintpaulia plant, can actually thrive outdoors and make for a lovely bush in your fairy-tale garden landscape with its fuzzy leaves, fleshy stalks, and vibrant, star-shaped petals. There are literally thousands of African violet varieties to choose from, so it’s helpful to look at your local selection to find the best ones suited to your area.

If you have lower light levels available, the African violet is the ideal plant, as it doesn’t typically like direct light. It also does best with high humidity and a moderate 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. It can survive moderate drought, so let the soil dry out halfway before you water it again. Take care not to get water on the leaves, as this can rot them. 

Lavender

Of course, a fairy-tale garden should smell as beautiful as it looks. Perhaps the epitome of a cottagecore flower, lavender features gray stalks of beautiful, dainty purple flowers with an herbaceous fragrance. Whether you grow it in a container or the ground, you can bring lavender outside once your last frost passes.

If you live in a warmer region, lavender should be one of your go-to perennial flowers, as it loves full sun and tolerates drought. You can add compost to the soil during spring, but lavender isn’t a heavy feeder.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea flowers can add fullness to your garden, with their bushy growth and lush colors. They grow prolifically and are relatively easy to cultivate. Spring is one of the best times to grow hydrangeas so your flowers can establish their roots for a hot summer. Before you plant your hydrangeas, find an area where they can receive bright morning sun but shady afternoons.

While they can tolerate many soil types, you want to water your hydrangeas deeply every week for vigorous blooms. Keep deadheading your hydrangeas to encourage blooming until autumn — the blooms make for beautiful cut flowers to extend the fairy-tale aesthetic into your home. How much fertilizing your plant needs depends on its variety, but hydrangeas aren’t generally heavy feeders.

To curate the charming, romantic fairy-tale garden of your dreams, add these whimsical flowers to your spring plant shopping list. From lily of the valley to lavender, you’ll find that many common cute flowers can lend your space a delicate flair. With a bit of care for your flowers, you’ll find beautiful blooms in abundance as the years go by. 

For context, cut flowers and white flowers are often associated with funerals in Asian cultures, so some people avoid them during the new year. That said, the rules aren’t set in stone, so pick flowers as you see fit. You also don’t need to worry about getting your flowers too early because it’s actually auspicious if they bloom at the beginning of the new year as opposed to before it.

If you’re looking for the perfect flowers to display or gift for Lunar New Year, here are our top picks. Below, we detail what these lovely blooms symbolize and how to keep them thriving after your festivities.

Orchids

With delicate blooms and vibrant colors, orchids symbolize abundance and fertility. Around Lunar New Year, you’ll see classic yellow and purple moth orchids sold as gifts at grocery stores, farmers markets, and nurseries. When it comes to what flowers to pick out, orchids with multiple spikes and lots of blooms are especially lucky. The flowers can last for months, and you can keep your plant alive long after they fade. For a thriving orchid, supply plenty of bright indirect sunlight, warm temperatures, high humidity, and consistent watering throughout the year.

Plum blossoms

Plum blossoms represent endurance and bravery, as they’re known for growing in the cold between winter and spring. You can find plum trees in parks, gardens, and Buddhist temples at the end of winter. And you might see plum blossom branches with blooms around Lunar New Year, but potted plum trees are fairly common as well. In fact, it’s actually ideal to grow plum trees in late winter or early spring. When it comes to care requirements, plum trees thrive in loamy soil in areas with full sun, which encourages them to yield their beautiful flowers and sweet fruit. 

Peonies

Full, fragrant peonies associated with prosperity and honor are common during Lunar New Year celebrations. Especially lucky are red peonies, as red is the color of fire and good fortune. Perennial to climate zones 3 to 8, peonies thrive in loose, well-draining soil with full sun and occasional watering. If you have a potted variety, deadhead the flowers to keep your plant neat as blooms develop through midsummer. 

Chrysanthemums

Around Lunar New Year, golden and purple chrysanthemums (or mums) are typical fixtures in Asian grocery stores and households. They symbolize happiness and fortune, often found potted with lucky red envelopes. Here’s one thing to consider: Yellow and white mums (especially cut ones) are sometimes associated with funerals, so they may sometimes be better suited for furnishing altars than gifting to friends.

To keep them thriving throughout spring and summer, you can move your chrysanthemums into a large pot or plant them in a window box or outdoor garden. Deadheading your mums and providing them with ample growing space and full sun helps them to continue blooming throughout the growing season. 

Pussy willows

Often displayed in vases or pots with lucky ornaments hanging from them, pussy willows symbolize growth and prosperity as Lunar New Year plants. They feature branches with fuzzy catkins (or flower spikes) — the blooms may even be dyed different colors, such as scarlet, for the new year.

If you want to grow or propagate your own pussy willow, make sure you have relatively wet soil for this wetland shrub. Best suited for zones 4 through 8, pussy willows grow relatively quickly and can reach up to 25 feet tall. Because they’re fragile plants, pruning them down keeps them compact and strong.

Narcissus 

Narcissus (or Pink Charm daffodil) flowers are considered lucky during Lunar New Year because they tend to bloom early in the year. Also called “water fairy flowers,” they’re beloved for their sweet-smelling fragrance and invite good fortune. You’ll likely find them as clusters of bulbs in shallow decorative pots. After a potted narcissus stops blooming, you can allow its leaves to die and store the bulbs in a cool, dark place. Then, come summer or autumn, you can replant these bulbs.

To care for them, keep the flowers in well-draining soil under full sun. Be sure to keep the soil consistently moist and apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season. All parts of the narcissus flowers are toxic to humans and animals, so keep an eye out for kids and pets. 

Come Lunar New Year, invite color and prosperity into your home with beautiful blooms. You certainly aren’t limited when it comes to variety. From elegant orchids to lush peonies, you’ll find a Lunar New Year flower that suits your specific style preferences and climate conditions.

Which plants can survive a frost?

Evergreens are known for their ability to survive winter, but they aren’t the only cold-tolerant, frost-resistant plants out there! Leafy vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, kale, collards, and chard can tolerate some frost. Early spring blooming flowers like crocus, snowdrop, and primrose can all survive the winter, and pansies are especially resilient. Violas, hostas, heuchera, irises, lily of the valley, cyclamen, and phlox also tolerate frost and provide some visual interest, as do catmint, baptista, sedum, and peonies.

As a general rule of thumb, mature plants that are perennial and have numerous thick leaves and thick or deep roots survive frost better than other plants. However, most mature plants can survive frosts if they’re properly prepared.

Should plants be protected from frost?

If you have young plants or plants that don’t tolerate the cold, then yes, they should be protected from frost. Plants that tolerate cold technically don’t need protection, but they may benefit from it anyway. Protecting your plants from frost helps them survive the winter, which means less replanting in the spring.

Protecting your plants from the cold may seem unnecessary, since wild plants don’t get protection, but this isn’t entirely true. Plants in the wild may be protected by leaf litter or other nearby plants, or they may simply grow somewhere with a mild winter.

How cold is too cold for new plants?

In general, plants that are not cold-resistant start to become damaged when temperatures dip below freezing. Leaves contain a lot of water that can freeze, essentially causing frostbite. However, the younger your plant is, the sooner it starts to experience cold-related problems. Seedlings that have recently sprouted, for example, need temperatures that are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This is especially true of seedlings that began inside.

If you started your seedlings indoors, you can increase your seedlings’ resistance to the elements by hardening them. Hardening is the process of exposing your seedlings to the outdoors a little at a time. Set them in the shade for a few hours each day and move them slowly from the shade to the sun. Gradually increase the amount of time they’re outside; on warm nights, you can even leave them outside overnight. This is most effective in early spring, but it can be done anytime. Hardening your seedlings gives them a better chance of surviving outdoors, so if you need to plant seedlings in the fall, hardening is essential.

What is the best material to protect plants from frost?

For many plants, a thick layer of leaf mulch will do just fine to keep them warm. It insulates the roots and nourishes the plant as it breaks down. If you only expect the cold weather to last a short time, like an unexpected last frost before spring, you can cover smaller plants over with leaf mulch entirely. Just be sure to uncover them once the cold has passed or else they may suffocate. However, if you have plants that are more cold-sensitive, leaf mulch may not be enough.

A sheet of plastic or fabric secured over your garden helps keep heat in and cold out. Secure the sheet on the edges so it doesn’t blow away, but make sure it isn’t touching the plants. You can prop it up in the middle with stakes for larger plants, or you can use large rocks for smaller plants. This is essentially a blanket fort for your garden. Any material will do, but if it’s going to rain or snow, keep in mind that most fabrics will absorb water, freeze, and become stiff.

During the day, uncover your garden so your plants can get some sun and you can water them. Water your plants on warm, sunny days if you can. This reduces the risk of the water becoming too cold and damaging the plant or even freezing.

Hopefully, this helps set your mind at ease and makes your cold-weather gardening just a bit easier. No matter where you live, you can adapt your gardening practices to fit your home and way of life. It may be getting chilly for you, but now you can keep your plants nice and comfy.