Spring is here so you may already be thinking about what plants will best highlight your home and enhance its curb appeal. In New England, we’re very lucky to have a bounty of flowers and shrubbery that flourish in northern soil. We’ve picked out ten easy to maintain plants that would make any garden shine.

Coneflowers / Echinacea: A tall flower, the coneflower appears daisy-like with raised centers. It blooms in summer and fall in full sun. Coming in varieties of red, pink, purple, and white, these bright perennials are easy to care for. They appear lovely in cut arrangements, and are relatively drought intolerant. The seeds of the dried flower head can also attract varying songbirds to your garden, so late season flowers can be kept until past maturity.

Crocuses / Crocus: Not growing more than 2 - 4 inches, these perennial bulb flowers are typically the first to pop their heads from the ground after the grip of winter releases. Different shades available are pink, orange, yellow, blue, purple, and white, blooming in winter and spring. These flowers usually begin to appear even before the last of the snow is gone and lure bees from their hives between February and March. These bulbs typically will also naturalize, meaning not only do they come back year after year, but also spread to create an even larger display.

Daffodils / Narcissus: These flowers are one of the front runners to signify that Spring has arrived! Shades of yellow, white, and orange erupt from these fall bulbs that bloom in late winter or early spring. Known for their trumpet shaped cone that is raised from the center, daffodils prefer a part - full sun. When planted, they like their space; 3 - 6 inches apart is ideal.They also make an excellent choice for floral arrangements.

Hydrangea / Hydrangea: Everyone needs some shrubs, so why not choose the hydrangea? The color of the flowers on this plant vary greatly as they are affected by the pH of the soil and can often bloom multiple colors on one plant. Shades to expect are red, pink, blue, purple, and white from summer through fall. Hydrangeas need lots of water, so be sure to keep their soil moist. These are ideal for planting in the shadier part of the yard, enjoying only part sun conditions. Like daffodils, the hydrangea likes its space, needing 3 - 10 feet between plantings. Luckily, the hydrangea shrub can grow between 1 - 3 meters tall.

Zinnias / Zinnia elegans: Zinnias are one of the easiest and quickest annual flowers to grow in your garden, blooming quickly and adding much desired bursts of color. Blooms arrive in summer and flourish with full sun. Colors to be expected range from red, pink, and orange to yellow, purple, white, and multicolor. Growing up the 3 feet tall, the daisy like flower is a single flowerhead on an erect stem. Zinnias do not like to be transplanted, but grow very quickly from seed.

Pansies / Viola x wittrockiana: This smaller plant grows only 6 - 9 inches tall, but is a full sun enjoying annual perfect for any garden. Known as the flowers with the “faces”, these plants come in a large variety of colors such as red, pink, yellow, orange, purple, blue, and white. These commonly found flowers can be started indoors and transplanted outside, making them perfect for containers, borders, and ground covers. Pansies prefer cooler temperatures and moist soil; keeping them watered is key to having healthy flowers. Planting should be done 7 - 12 inches apart, as this flower spreads 9 - 12 inches as it grows.

Rhododendrons / Rhododendron: Another beautiful shrub, this plant is perfect for the yard as its leaves stay year round and blooms appear in Spring and Summer. A commonly found shrub, the rhododendron can be found in red, pink, yellow, purple, and white. Enjoying part sun and plenty of water, these plants thrive in the north due to the chilling needed to develop strong flower buds. Rhododendrons make for fantastic landscaping plants as they can grow up to 25 feet tall.

Peonies / Paeonia: This beautiful flower takes your breath away when it blooms in Spring, its flowers remaining all summer long. Certainly hardy, your perennials may live longer than those who plant them; some have been known to live for 100 years. Peonies should be planted and left to grow as they do not respond well to transplanting. Red, pink, yellow, or white peonies enjoy full sun and fertile, moist soil. Be patient; peonies usually take a few years to bloom, but once planted require little care.

Yarrows / Achillea: This hardy perennial is comprised of a large head of tightly packed tiny flowers. Coming in red, pink, yellow, and white, it enjoys full sun and dry soil, but should be watered regularly. Its fern like leaves are often very aromatic. Most kinds of this flower grow between 2 - 4 feet tall and should be planted 1 - 2 feet apart. One thing to consider, however, is that some species of these flowers can be somewhat invasive; choose carefully where to plant.

Irises / Iris Germancia: Highly desired by gardeners, the iris is a reliable perennial that is very easy to care for. Blooming in early summer, the iris comes in a multitude of colors ranging from pink, orange, and yellow to blue, purple, white, and even multicolored. Sun is very important for the iris; without at least a half day’s sunlight, blooms will not occur. Their lacy petals and talls stems make them perfect for additions to floral arrangements.

You can find more information about gardening in Massachusetts here. When planting specific plants, you can consult the plant’s label or tag for further information on the best conditions for that plant.

Dwell360 Real Estate is a boutique residential real estate firm based in Newton, Massachusetts, servicing the cities and suburbs of Greater Boston. Dwell360 is a leader in in luxury real estate throughout the Boston, Brookline, Newton, Needham, and select other communities of metro Boston. Search for homes in Massachusetts and then give us a call.

Sources:
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Coneflowers. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/coneflowers.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Crocuses. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/crocuses.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Daffodils. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/daffodils.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Hydrangea. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/hydrangea.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Irises. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/irises.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Pansies. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/pansies.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Peonies. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/peonies.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Rhododendrons. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/rhododendrons.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Yarrow. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/yarrow.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Zinnias. Retrieved from http://www.almanac.com/plant/zinnias.
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