Low Maintenance Spring Flowers That Bloom Annually

Spring is a season of rebirth, new opportunity, and the welcomed return of warmth and sunshine. There is perhaps nothing more emblematic of this lovely season than the first spring flowers that fight their way out of the soil and present their stunning colors. The season of spring offers an array of different flowering plants, many of which are easy to grow and will return year after year.

Many perennial flowering plants will bloom every spring and require very little maintenance. Some of the most popular flowers that will bloom every year include daffodils, tulips, bearded irises, and peonies. Virginia bluebells and black-eyed Susans are two species native to North America that provide consistent early blooms, and lilacs and forsythia are beautiful and resilient shrubs that flower in early spring.

Spring is a perfect time to have a garden full of flowers. But it isn’t always easy to head out to the nursery and get your hands dirty the moment that winter finally disappears. This is why having plants that flower in the spring and will reliably return each year is an amazing asset in any garden. If you are looking for low-maintenance spring flowers that will come back every year, keep reading to uncover all your best options.

11 Low-Maintenance Flowering Plants That Bloom Every Spring

1. Daffodil

Few flowers symbolize the dawn of spring more than daffodils. These yellow and orange blossoms are everywhere as soon as winter passes. One reason these spring blooms are so synonymous with the change in seasons is that they are some of the first flowers to sprout from the earth after the ground thaws.

These flowers will pop up as early as late February. You can count on them starting to bloom at some point in March or early April, and last for anywhere from six weeks to several months. They require very little upkeep, and they will come back reliably for many years. This makes them an ideal low-maintenance spring flower.

2. Tulip

If you have visited the Netherlands, you know that a field of tulips is one of the most awe-inspiring sights to behold in the spring. Similar to daffodils, tulips are a reliable early spring blossom that requires little to no upkeep. They wiggle their way up through the soil each spring and bloom as long as there is sunlight and moisture.

One great thing about tulips is their variety. There are hundreds of different tulip varieties. They come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and designs, making them perfect for any garden. While they require little upkeep, they are also very fragile, and only last a week or two once they bloom. So having a few varieties of tulips will help ensure these plants bloom throughout the early spring.

3. Flowering Quince

Another one of the earliest spring blooms is the flowering quince. This deciduous and thorny shrub is common in many four-season areas. It can grow upwards of almost ten feet tall, making it a great flowering plant that also provides a bit of privacy.

Once this plant is established and survives a few winters, it is very easy to keep it alive. One of the best reasons to consider planting flowering quince is it provides some of the earliest flowers in spring. Its blooms come at the tail end of winter and the dawn of spring, making it the perfect plant for those who feel that spring can’t come soon enough.

4. Creeping Phlox

One common spring flowering plant that is less common but great for those looking for a low-maintenance option is creeping phlox. This plant grows naturally in parts of the United States, including along rivers in the Appalachian region. It produces early spring flowers each year.

The plant blooms hundreds of small flowers, offering lovely pops of color to any home garden. They grow easily along water sources, making them a great option for those with a small pond. They can go without water for about a week, making them fairly low maintenance as well. Just be sure to plant them somewhere with direct sunlight.

5. Virginia Bluebells

If you live in North America and are looking for a native plant species that will bloom year after year in your garden, look no further than Virginia Bluebells. This American native species comes from (you guessed it) the Virginia area and produces beautiful blue flowers every spring.

The plant sprouts up in early spring and produces low-hanging blue flowers that look like bells, blanketing the area with a blue hue. They go dormant by summer but offer a lovely pop of blue each spring.

6. Daylily

For those who are fans of the stoic lily flower, it is worth planting some daylilies. The daylily is a low-maintenance flower that sprouts beautiful blossoms that look great in a vase, or simply growing wild.

They can grow throughout the warmer months, starting in mid- to late-spring. It is possible to mix several different types of daylilies to ensure you have these beautiful flowers blooming from spring to late summer.

7. Forsythia

Another early sign of spring is the bright yellow emergence of forsythia. If you live in New England or any northern region with four seasons, then you have likely seen the bright yellow blooms that sprout from the stalks of these large shrubs in the early spring.

Forsythia grows wild, and is found along roadways and in parks, but also makes a nice addition along the border of any property. It is a lovely burst of color and a kind visual reminder that warm weather is coming soon.

8. Black-Eyed Susan

Another lovely flowering plant that is native to North America is the black-eyed Susan. These flowers start a bit later in spring and sometimes don’t flower until early summer in cooler climates. But if you live further south where winters are milder, these are fantastic and low-maintenance spring flowers. They grow several feet high, and blooms can last into the fall.

9. Coneflower

If you want a colorful flower species that will grow in spring and also throughout summer and into fall, consider the coneflower. Coneflowers come in various varieties, meaning they are not only available in different colors, but they also bloom at different times of the year.

Consider mixing things up and getting several types of coneflower. These low-maintenance blooms will come back each year, and provide you with blossoms throughout the sunny months of the year.

10. Peony

If you are looking for an elegant blossom that you can use in a spring floral bouquet, consider the lovely peony. These flowers have been around for centuries, and offer some of the most exquisite and delicate flowers.

These perennial flowers bloom between April and May, making them a great plant for those looking for colorful petals in the spring. What makes these plants special is these big bulbed flowers last only a matter of days, making them all the more special and worthy of celebration.

11. Bearded Iris

Lastly, for those who are a fan of the tall and stoic iris plant, select the bearded iris if you want to see this flower in the spring. Bearded iris plants have beautiful purple flowers with hues of blue and cream, and they can bloom at any time between early spring and late fall. Therefore you must make sure you choose a variety that will bloom each spring.

One great thing about the bearded iris is that they not only bloom each year, but some varieties will bloom twice a year — once in the early spring and once in the fall. This allows you to have a colorful garden in the fall and the spring when flowers are less common than in the summer months.

Wrapping Up Flowers That Grow Back And Bloom Every Spring

Spring and flowers go hand and hand, but it isn’t always easy to plant a bunch of flowering plants in the early spring. Furthermore, many flowers you plant in the spring don’t bloom until the summer. This is why having spring flowers that bloom each year is super helpful for those who want a colorful spring garden. Some classic flowers that will grow back each spring include daffodils, tulips, peonies, and forsythia. Virginia bluebells, creeping phlox, and flowering quince are great early-blooming plants that offer lots of color in early spring as well.

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• Best Flowers To Plant In Spring
• When Should You Prepare Your Yard For Spring?
• How To Prevent Weeds In The Spring