Spring is here, and with it comes a beautiful array of spring flowers. As you drive down the road, you see fields of wildflowers, or beautiful roses in someone’s yard. All that beauty can’t help but make you smile.

 

If it makes you smile so broadly when driving, why not let that beautiful vision greet you each day in your own yard? Embracing life with beauty is as simple as adding a flower garden. it’s just a matter of choosing which ones!

 

Just so you know: This post contains affiliate links; if you click on a link and make a purchase
I might make a small commission, but it does not affect the price you pay!

 

 

 

 

Spring Flowers - beautiful arrangements

 

 

Outside or Inside?

 

 

For me, the whole point of having flowers in a bed outside, is so I can embrace the beauty of life inside as well. Once or twice a week, I want to bring that beauty inside to enjoy all day long. When I choose my plants, I consider what they will look like in a bouquet.

 

I also consider height and color. Depending on the cultivar, some flowers can range from as little as one foot to 5 feet. When it comes to color, I opt for several different ones. But when I consider height, I prefer to stick with either or.

 

As with everything, there is an exception to that rule. Sunflowers can come in dwarf sizes up to 10’ tall. I love an arrangement that is solely varying heights and colors of these cheerful flowers!

 

 

 

fun vases for spring flowers

 

 

Fun Vases

 

If it will hold a flower, it will work for a vase. I have used just about everything to hold my arrangements. If you want to go formal, most everyone has a crystal cut vase in a cabinet somewhere. Although I have been known to use them in a pinch, I like the less formal look to my container.

 

To find a suitable vase, look in your cabinets. I have used a salad dressing carafe and vintage Mason jars. I collect vintage enamelware, so quite often larger bouquets end up in a pitcher.

 

Vintage milk and cream bottle make perfect vases for simple arrangements. The most unusual thing I have used is an old glass measuring cup that was originally used for photography chemicals.

 

Another great idea is to gather up all those old medicine bottles you picked up at flea markets. Place a single stem (or two) in each one, and line them up across the kitchen table or on a window ledge.

 

 

choosing spring flowers to grow

 

 

What To Grow

 

This is where the sky is the limit, if you have the space. If you aren’t able to plant 100 acres of nothing but flowers, you may need to pick and choose.

 

The first consideration is your Gardening Zone. (Don’t know what it is? Find out HERE.) Some flowers, such as zinnias, love our hot summers. But there is no way I can successfully grow in this hot, humid climate.

 

A second consideration is the lighting. If your yard is rimmed with trees that keep it shady all day, look for flowers that can tolerate shade. Some flowers, such as yarrow, will grow in shade, but they tend to get leggy.

 

Last, but not least, spring flowers also contribute life giving food for some beautiful insects. Even if we are primarily growing for cut flower arrangements, it is always the best idea to offer food to beneficial insects. Most of the flowers on the chart below will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

 

But did you know that peonies mainly attract what we consider a pest? That big, fluffy, beautiful bloom secretes a sap that is a great food source for ants! Let me debunk a myth here. You may have been told that ants feeding on the sap is what helps the blooms to open. No. Those blooms are going to open regardless.

 

For a few ideas on what to grow, here is a list of twenty great flowers to use for fresh flower arrangements:

 

 

 

Spring Flowers

FlowerHeightLightSeasonTypeAttracts
Ageratum6" to 24"Full Sun/Part ShadeSummer/FallReseedingButterflies
Baby's Breath12" to 36"Full Sun/Part ShadeSummer/FallAnnualBees
Black-eyed Susan1' to 3'Full SunSummer/FallBees/Butterflies
Butterfly Bushup to 7'Full SunSummerShrubBees/Butterflies
Chrysanthemum1' to 3'Full SunFallPerennialButterflies
Cornflowerup to 30"Full SunS/S/FAnnualBees/Butterflies
Daffodil6" to 16"Full SunSpringPerennialMinimal
Daisies3' to 4'Full SunSummerPerennialBees/Butterflies
Delphinium5' to 8'Full Sun/Part ShadeSummerAnnualBees/Butterflies
Gladioli2' to 5'Full SunSummerPerennialNone
Iris6" to 40"Full SunSpringPerennialButterflies
Lavender20" to 24"Full SunSummerPerennialBees/Butterflies
Peony1' to 7'Full Sun/Part ShadeSummerPerennialButterflies
Ranunculus10" to 24"Full SunSpringPerennialBees/Butterflies
Salviaup to 5'Full SunSummerPerennialBees/Butterflies
Sunflower6' to 10'Full SunSummerAnnualBees/Butterflies
Sweet Pea2' to 8'Full Sun/Part ShadeSpringAnnualBees/Butterflies
Yarrow2' to 3'Full SunSummerPerennialBees/Butterflies
Zinnia10" to 3'Full SunSummerAnnualBees/Butterflies

 

 

 

 

show off your spring flowers

 

 

 

Show them Off

 

Now that you have a beautiful garden, lush with spring flowers, it’s time to bring a few inside. Arrange them in your chosen vase, and find the best place to display them. The first place you want to put them is right where folks first enter the house. Cut flowers have a way to saying ‘Welcome!’, and brings a smile to a visitor’s face.

 

Spring flowers are also a perfect stress relief, so add some to the kitchen table. If you have problems sleeping at night, place a few stalks of lavender in a vase by your bedside.

 

Having overnight guests? Be sure to add a fun selection on their bedside table. You can also go so far as to add another vase in their bathroom.

 

 

 

share spring flowers with a friend

 

 

Take them to a Neighbor

 

Flowers have the ability to ‘speak’ many languages. They fluently speak ‘Get Well!’, ‘I miss you’, ‘Welcome to the Neighborhood’ and many others. (They also say “I’m sorry!” extremely well!)

 

Because of their linguistic skills, create a few vases and take them to your neighbors. Not only will they appreciate them, but you may get a story gift in return. “Oh! My mama used to grow the most beautiful __________!” (Those stories are some of the best gifts I have ever received!)

 

With a little work, you can easily share the beauty of life with a garden filled with spring flowers. It’s time to grab our garden plan, gloves and our seeds. Let’s start planting!

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s take this conversation a bit further. What are your favorite spring flowers? Tell me your favorite way to display them or share them. I can’t wait to hear from you!

 

 

Need a little help getting started? Sign up for my newsletter, and get a free copy of my Garden Plans and Themes e-books!

 

 

Julie Murphree is a blogger, newspaper columnist, and speaker on all things ‘Living a Simple Life on the Farm’. She is the author of \\\'The Farm Wife – Living a Simple Life on the Farm. She and her husband have 60 acres in NW Louisiana where they actively work on living as sustainable as possible.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.