Spring Flowers for a Gorgeous Garden

Spring’s finally here, and it’s the perfect time to refresh your yard with flowers that love our cool, rainy Pacific Northwest weather. Whether you're adding color to garden beds or filling up planters on the porch, these beginner-friendly blooms are great options.  

What to Plant Now These flowers thrive in our spring climate and are great for gardeners of all levels: 

Daffodils & Tulips – Tulips and daffodils are two of the first flowers to pop up when winter finally lets go—and they each bring something special to the spring garden.

Tulips keep growing after being cut and open up wide in the sun like little show-offs. Daffodils, on the other hand, are cheerful and dependable, often the very first to bloom. Their trumpet centers and starburst petals make them instantly recognizable, and their natural critter-resistance (thanks to their toxicity) makes them garden staples.

Both love well-drained soil and thrive in our cool, wet Pacific Northwest climate. Plant them in the fall and they’ll reward you with color year after year. Daffodils will even multiply over time.

Pansies & Violas – These cool-season flowers are closely related (pansies are actually a type of viola), and both come in a wide range of colors, often with those sweet little "faces" in the center. Pansies tend to have larger, more dramatic blooms, while violas are smaller but often bloom more prolifically.

Both flowers love the cooler weather, making them perfect for planting in early spring or fall in the Pacific Northwest. They’re also edible!

Primroses – Known for their crinkled leaves and vivid, candy-colored blooms, primroses come in just about every shade imaginable. You’ll find them in purples, pinks, yellows, reds, and blues; sometimes all on one plant. Their compact size makes them perfect for borders, containers, or even tucking between shrubs.

Primroses thrive in the Pacific Northwest’s cool, damp climate and prefer partial shade, which makes them great for those tricky garden spots that don’t get full sun. Plus, they’re perennials, so with the right care (and good drainage), they can come back year after year.

Lungwort (Pulmonaria) – Known for its unique, silver-speckled leaves and early spring flowers, lungwort is one of those plants that quietly steals the show. The blooms start out pink and often fade to blue or purple, meaning you’ll sometimes see multiple colors on the same plant at once. It’s like mood-ring magic, but for flowers.

Lungwort thrives in shady, damp spots and loves the Pacific Northwest climate. It’s a great choice for under trees or alongside ferns and hostas. Plus, it’s deer-resistant, attracts early pollinators, and stays low to the ground, making it a perfect filler plant with year-round appeal.

Fun fact: Its name comes from the old belief that the spotted leaves resembled lungs and could help treat respiratory issues. While that’s not the case today, its unique foliage and beautiful flowers definitely make it a breath of fresh air in any garden.

Bleeding Heart – Most commonly seen in pink and white, bleeding heart flowers bloom early in the season and add a soft, romantic touch to shady or partially shaded spots. The plant itself has delicate, fern-like foliage and grows in graceful clumps that look especially beautiful along woodland edges, shady borders, or under taller plants.

In true dramatic fashion, bleeding hearts tend to go dormant when the heat of summer kicks in, so don’t panic if the leaves die back suddenly. It’s just taking a seasonal break and will return the next spring if it’s happy where it’s planted.

Bleeding hearts are deer-resistant and pretty tough as long as they’re kept out of direct, scorching sun. They thrive in the Pacific Northwest, where cool temps and moist soil keep them thriving.

Columbine – These spring-to-early-summer bloomers are pollinator magnets, especially for hummingbirds and bees. Their flowers look intricate, but columbines are quite low-maintenance. They’re happy in partial sun or light shade and adapt well to the Pacific Northwest climate, particularly in woodland-style gardens or more natural landscapes.

Columbines tend to reseed themselves gently, so you might find surprise seedlings popping up nearby in following years. Each new plant can have slightly different coloring too, which makes them feel like little garden surprises.

Fun fact: The name “columbine” comes from the Latin columba, meaning dove—because some say the flower looks like a cluster of doves in flight.

Lavender & Salvia – Both plants feature tall spikes of flowers (lavender in soft purples and salvia in everything from deep blue to fiery red) and fragrant, textured foliage that adds interest even when not in bloom. Lavender leans into the calming, floral side of the scent spectrum, while salvia can have a more earthy or even peppery fragrance, depending on the variety.

They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, making them ideal for Pacific Northwest gardeners looking for lower-maintenance options that still deliver serious visual and sensory impact. They also pair beautifully with other sun-lovers like coneflowers, yarrow, and ornamental grasses.

They’re hardy, drought-tolerant once established, and absolute magnets for pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds can’t get enough of them!

 Want to Support Pollinators? 

• Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are all important garden visitors, and they're easy to support! 

• Stick to native or pollinator-friendly plants. 

• Skip pesticides. 

• Choose flowers with bright colors and open or tubular shapes. 

Great options as your garden moves into summer: Lavender, Echinacea (Coneflower), Bee Balm, and Foxglove. 

Dealing with Garden Critters? Here’s What Helps: 

Slugs & Snails – Common in damp areas. Use crushed eggshells, copper tape, or beer traps for a chemical-free solution. 

Rabbits & Deer – Strong-smelling herbs like rosemary, thyme, and mint help repel them. Marigolds and daffodils also tend to be left alone. 

Squirrels – Try sprinkling cayenne pepper or using a repellent spray around bulbs and freshly planted areas. 

We’d love to see your spring garden! Send us your garden photos, and you might be featured in an upcoming newsletter. We can't wait to see what you've got growing!