The first flowers of spring: 8 beautiful species and cultivars for your garden

As soon as the snow melts, spring flowers emerge from the ground. The first to bloom are snowdrops and crocuses, followed by daffodils, alliums, and grape hyacinths.

8 stunning spring flowers

Glory-of-the-snow

The liverleaf, although beloved by Finns, doesn’t always thrive in gardens. But don’t worry—the glory-of-the-snow comes to the rescue. Its bell-shaped flowers open upwards, looking us straight in the eye.

Glories-of-the-snow were formerly considered a separate genus (Chionodoxa), but now they are included in the same genus as squills (Scilla). They bloom in April and May.

The center of the flower varies from white to nearly white depending on the species, but overall they appear blue. Their shades differ, much like the liverleaf. Glories-of-the-snow are suitable for planting under trees and shrubs, in woodland gardens, rock gardens, and even on lawns. They spread through offsets and seeds.

Yellow star-of-Bethlehem

The yellow-flowered yellow star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea) is a native woodland plant in Finland. It has also made its way into parks and gardens through human intervention. It starts blooming in early May.

Yellow stars-of-Betlehem are ideal for an easy-care, natural garden where they can spread freely and where leaves aren’t raked in autumn. These tiny bulbous plants pose no threat to other garden plants, no matter how much they spread. After flowering, they wither quickly.

In natural settings, yellow stars-of-Bethlehem propagate effectively from seeds and offsets. They can form an impressive yellow carpet in your garden.

Crocuses

The genus Crocus (Crocus) includes over 80 species and even more cultivars. Most are gold and spring crocuses. Crocuses are among the first and last flowers in the garden, with some species blooming early in spring and others in autumn. Autumn-blooming crocuses resemble colchicums; however, a crocus flower has three stamens, while colchicums have six.

Unfortunately, voles and mice often feast on crocus corms. It’s wise to plant a few groups as a test to see how they fare. Crocuses propagate by offsets and, over time, also from seeds. You can plant them in flower beds and rock gardens, on the lawn, and against walls.

Crocuses are also the source of saffron: the stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) yield this precious spice. Unfortunately, saffron crocuses can’t withstand the Finnish winter.

Siberian squill

The flower of the Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) is somehow enchanting, perhaps because this shade of blue is rarely seen in Finnish nature. The bell-shaped dark blue flower droops slightly, gazing downward somewhat wistfully.

The Siberian squill spreads easily. It can even thrive on lawns if the spot is shady. It’s best to plant it under large deciduous trees, which protect the ground from excessive heat in summer. The plant doesn’t do well for long in open areas or grassy places.

The elegant Mishchenko squill (Othocallis mischtschenkoana, formerly Scilla mischtschenkoana) is larger and more lush than the Siberian squill. The flowers are very light blue or white, and each petal has a bluish central vein. The sparse inflorescences have a few star-shaped flowers, sometimes up to six. The Mishchenko squill deserves more attention—it blooms and spreads well.

Spring meadow saffron

The spring meadow saffron (Colchicum bulbocodium) is a close relative of the autumn-blooming colchicum and is also poisonous. Its bright lilac-colored flowers emerge in sunny spots in March and April, opening right at ground level.

The flowers of the spring meadow saffron, which rise from bare ground like reddish-blue flames, are almost otherworldly. Initially, no leaves are visible, but they appear during flowering and continue to grow after the flowers have withered.

The spring meadow saffron is native to the Pyrenees and the Alps. It should be allowed to grow in the same place for a long time and propagate at its own pace. When it thrives, it forms a magnificent mat over time.

Winter aconite

The winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) sometimes blooms even amid snow. Such a sight is hard to believe.

In early spring, the snow takes on bluish hues as it freezes and melts and freezes again. In such a landscape, the first winter aconite brings to mind a polar explorer dressed in a yellow parka. It shines like a small sun and is surprisingly visible from afar.

Everyone should plant at least a handful of winter aconite tubers along the side of the house. Nothing could be easier: you can dig a hole for the raisin-sized tubers even with a spoon. Even without your own garden, you can plant them to bring joy to all the residents of your apartment building.

Winter aconites are native to Eurasia. In Finland, the most commonly sold species is Eranthis hyemalis. If the little creatures in your garden have devoured the crocuses, it’s worth trying winter aconites, as they are usually left alone by animals.

The winter aconite can grow to be only up to ten centimeters tall. The flower gets a green dress from its bracts, which looks charming even after the flowers have withered. The winter aconite self-seeds, and old stands are often rich in flowers.

Snowdrop

As its name suggests, the snowdrop defies winter. It may peek out from under the snow as early as March. The genus of snowdrops (Galanthus) comprises about fifteen species. Most of them originate from Turkey and Southeastern Europe.

The most common species in Finland is the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), which stands 10–20 centimeters tall. The inner petals of the flower have a green spot at the tip, typical for most snowdrops, and the location of the spot is a good identifying feature.

Other species grown in Finland include the greater snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii), which can grow up to 30 centimeters tall, and the Ikaria snowdrop (Galanthus ikariae), which is also slightly larger than the common snowdrop.

Snowdrops closely resemble the spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum), which also has a green dot at the tips of its petals.

Sometimes snowdrops have difficulty taking off. This is why it’s important to buy healthy, firm bulbs and plant them immediately to prevent them from drying out.

The basic requirement for a thriving snowdrop is moist soil. An ideal alternative is loamy soil that still drains water easily. A shady or semi-shady growing location protected from wind promotes the snowdrop’s success.

Irises

If you’re looking to add elegance to your spring flower bed that isn’t found in every garden, be sure to plant small irises. The deep blue netted iris (Iris reticulata) and the almost neon yellow Danford iris (Iris danfordiae) bloom in March and April.

If you’re used to thinking of irises as some towering giants, these miniatures will put that belief into perspective. There’s no doubt—they truly are irises!

At ground level, perhaps growing through a dried, web-like aspen leaf, you see a perfect iris. The identifying features are clear, down to the delicate speckled pattern on the petals. The flowers are surprisingly large considering the plant is only 10–15 centimeters tall.

The Danford iris has broader petals than the netted iris. In warm weather, its blooming is brief, and the plant won’t have the energy to continue multiplying indefinitely in the garden. Nevertheless, it’s a magnificent sight worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.

The Danford iris originates from Turkey, while the netted iris grows wild in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and the Caucasus. Plant the Danford iris in rich soil and the netted iris in poor soil.