Top 5 Plants for Spring
Make planning your garden for spring much easier by choosing from our list of the top 5 plants for spring from the Southern Living Plant Collection.
1. Jubilation Gardenia
Who can resist the sweet southern scent of gardenias? Jubilation is a compact shrub growing between 3-4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Enjoy the fragrant white blooms in the spring and a reblooming period through summer and into fall. Plant Jubilation in USDA zones 7-10, water as needed and shape after spring bloom.
2. Soft Caress Mahonia
The texture alone adds a unique feature to this bamboo-like shade shrub. Add Soft Caress Mahonia to an Asian garden or use as a specimen plant and enjoy bright yellow blooms in early winter. Plant in USDA zones 7-9, water as needed and shape in winter after bloom.
3. Purple Pixie Loropetalum
With its dwarf size and weeping habit, Purple Pixie is just the plant we’ve been crying for. Use as a groundcover, hanging basket, or a window box. The showy pink flowers combined with rich purple foliage will move you to tears. It grows only 1 to 2 feet tall by 4 to 5 feet wide. Plant in USDA Zones 7 -10 in full sun to part shade.
4. Little Bonnie Spiraea
A great dwarf spiraea for the deep South, its blue-green foliage does not “burn out” like other spiraeas. Produces profuse lavender-pink spring blooms along with sporadic blooms throughout summer. Little Bonnie works well as a border, container, groundcover or mass planting. Plant this dwarf spirae in USDA Zones 4 - 9, water as needed and fertilize in early spring.
5. Obsession Nandina
Obsession is a new and distinct variety of Nandina domestica, characterized by its upright, compact and dense plant habit; slow growth rate; and unique Bright red colored young foliage and deep green-colored mature foliage. Plant Obsession in full sun to part shade and shape in spring.
Browse the full Southern Living Plant Collection or find more garden ideas here.
