Spring Gardens Design Guide

One of the first signs of spring is the emergence of spring bulbs, but there are also many varieties of spring blooming perennials available. Spring flowering perennials can compliment the bulbs in your garden. They should be planted in a location where the flowers will be sheltered from the cold. Sheltered under a shrub or specimen tree is the ideal location.



When planting your spring flowering perennials placement is key. Remember planting in groups of three makes more of an impact in the garden. There are early and later spring bloomers so you can mix them up for the best spring show. You can plant with a formal approach, where the plants are all spaced evenly in a specific pattern, or an informal approach when the plants are placed in no particular order. This would be more of an English style garden. To prevent your perennials from self seeding be sure to dead head finished flowers.

Medallion Perennials Spring Flowers

There are a wide variety of Medallion Perennials that bloom in the spring. Planting later blooming perennials among the earlier ones can still compliment the spring garden. Hostas add a interesting effect with their whirling foliage as it opens.

List of Medallion Perennials
for Spring Colour

E= Early Spring Bloomer L= Late Spring Bloomer

PLANT NAME
BLOOM TIME
ZONE
EXPOSURE
Ajuga (Bugleweed)
L
3
Pt-Full Shade
Alyssum (Basket of Gold)
E
4
Full Sun
Aquilegia (Columbine)
L
3
Pt.Shade
Armeria (Thrift)
L
3
Full Sun
Aubrieta (Rock Cress)
E
4
Pt-Full Shade
Bergenia (Saxifraga)
E
2
Pt. Shade
Brunnera (Bugloss)
L
3
Pt. Shade
Campanula (Bell Flower)
E
2
Pt. Shade
Centaurea (Cornflower)
L
2
Full Sun
Cerastium (Snow in Summer)
L
1
Full Sun
Convallaria (Lily of the Valley)
E
1
Pt-Full Shade
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
L
4
Full Sun
Dianthus (Pinks)
L
4
Full Sun
Dicentra (Bleeding Hearts)
L
3
Pt. Shade
Epimedium (Barrenwort)
E
4
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Erinus (Liver Balsam)
E
4
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Euphorbia (Spurge)
E
4
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Galium (Sweet Woodruff)
E
3
Pt-Full Shade
Geranium (Cranesbill)
L
4
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Helleborus (Christmas Rose)
E
4
Pt-Full Shade
Heuchera (Coral Bells)
L
4
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Iris germanica (Tall Bearded Iris)
L
3
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Lamium (Dead Nettle)
E
3
Pt-Full Shade
Lysmachia (Creeping Jenny)
L
2
Full Shade
Pachysandra (Jap. Spurge)
E
3
Pt-Full Shade
Papaver (Poppy)
L
2-4
Full Sun
Platycodon (Balloon Flower)
E
3
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Polemonium (Jacob's Ladder)
L
4
Pt. Shade
Pulmonaria (Lungwort)
E
3
Pt-Full Shade
Pastille (Pasque Flower)
E
2
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Sanguineria (Bloodroot)
E
3
Full Sun-Lt Shd
Saponaria (Soapwort)
L
2
Full Sun
Saxifraga (Saxifraga)
E
4
Pt. Shade
Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)
L
3
Full Sun
Tiarella (Foam Flower)
L
4
Pt-Full Shade
Vinca minor (Periwinkle)
E
4
Pt-Full Shade
Viscaria alpina (Catchfly)
E
2
Full Sun

Pt-Full Shade Garden with Spring Colour

Bergenia `Winter glut'
Vinca minor `Dart's Blue'
Hosta `Fire and Ice'
Campanula coch. `Bavarian Blue'
Polystichum acrostichoides
Astilbe chin. `Pumila'