Early Spring Garden Plants

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In order to prepare for early spring gardening, dedicated green thumbs should begin to plan in the cold months of mid-winter. Planning for an early spring garden can be a great way to beat back some of the winter doldrums and get excited about the spring and summer seasons that lie ahead. One must be careful regarding what plants she does decide to include in an early spring garden, however, as many plants cannot survive the initial, still-chilly spring months.

Cold-Weather Veggies

There are a number of vegetables you can plant in your garden during the colder early spring months, such as kale, beets, parsnips and cabbage (which should be planted in pots first and then transferred to garden beds around March or so). These hearty vegetables also serve as great comfort food during cold weather and are often used in winter soup recipes.

This early-blooming plant usually begins to show its flowers in February. Seta Rhododendrons are evergreen shrubs with pink and white bell-shaped flowers, and they can grow to be up to 5 feet in height. This rhododendron likes its sunlight, but can survive in partial shade, as well.

This is actually a tree, and can grow to be quite large---up to 16 feet tall when fully grown. Its flowers are yellow in color and larger in size, and are known to bloom on the branches of the tree during the early spring months. Butterflies Magnolia needs full sunlight to thrive and, in its early days, a steady and generous supply of water. However, once the tree is established and doing well, it can survive on less and less water.

Generally considered an easy plant to include in the early spring garden, primroses require a certain amount of shade, prefer damp conditions and have a fairly long blooming period. Primroses are hardy perennials and tend to grow easily. They can flower in a variety of beautiful colors, from pinks to purples to yellows, and tend to multiply over the years after they have been planted and established.