In even the coldest growing zones, early spring flower containers can be displayed outdoors by late March, depending on the weather and the types of flowers you choose. To get the most bang for your buck as well as treat your eyes to some much anticipated color after a long winter season, be sure to choose your plants wisely. In the northeast region where I live (Zone 5), I have set out colorful displays of hardy annuals long before any of my neighbors have even began to think to do it themselves. They have rewarded me with their beauty for months. Highly recommended pansies, ranunculus, daffodils and bush type snapdragons are strong enough to survive some surprise snow showers and cold night-time temperatures.
Find out which gardening zone you live in and then research the plants that are listed as being successful in your area. http://www.growit.com/zones/
Early spring plant containers can vary from sweet and simple do-it-yourself combinations to highly elaborate professional-looking ones. You can be the first on your block with a hardy, no-fail early combo of ranunculus and pansies potted up to greet your visitors. If plants are chosen carefully, they will not perish from that late season snowfall or an occasional iight frost at night.
In the earliest spring weeks when the weather is very erratic it is wise to provide a little shelter for the newly created flower containers. This is easily done by setting them beneath a porch or overhang to discourage frost from settling directly on the plant’s leaves and blooms. As the milder spring temperatures become more steady the early spring flower containers can be moved further from the home or structure and be better able to sustain their health and beauty. You can add more color to your containers by purchasing blooming potted bulbs that are in season and easily found at local plant nurseries. Eventually, these can easily be combined with other less hardy flowers such as geraniums or marigolds. Out-of-season plants, such as hydrangeas and marguerites, look very nice in a later spring arrangement, but their blooms may be short-lived if the thermometer takes an unexpected dive.
The key is to deadhead often, and be prepared to replenish spent flowers with fresh plants as needed while transitioning into late spring and early summer. Containers of pansies can be pruned and then moved to a shadier location for the hot summer months. This will keep them healthy and blooming well into the fall months.
Of course you’ll have to start with fresh potting medium – preferably one that allows good drainage and has been reinforced with plant food. You’ll also need a roomy container with drainage holes. (remember, it rains a lot in spring and you don’t want to invite root rot) An easy-to-plant early spring flower container might hold miniature daffodils surrounded by pansies, short snapdragons and ranunculous! Use your imagination by adding interesting colored twigs from your garden or maybe even some dried out flower branches that never got cut back before winter set in. Forsythia and pussy willow branches add texture and interest quite well.
As the spring progresses, it is easy enough to change out whatever has run its bloom course. As an example: if your snapdragons got a little too waterlogged and aren’t displaying color, you can use your garden trowel to gently remove it from the container before replacing it with some potted hyacinths that are in full bloom. Have fun and get creative. You can even cheat a little by the addition of some realistic silk blooms tucked in between! Remember that potted bulb plants with spent blooms can be dried and then planted directly into your flower garden for rebloom next year! Happy Spring!
Sources:
http://www.gardenweb.com/
http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/early-bird-bloomers/index.html
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20159255,00.html
