If you’re wondering what to look for in your garden this week, you’re in the right place. Let’s talk about what’s blooming – currently in full bloom in many regions. This is the perfect time to take a walk and see the peak color happening right now.
Knowing what’s at its best helps you appreciate your garden and plan for next year. It also shows you where you might have gaps in your planting schedule. This guide will highlight the stars of the current season.
What’s Blooming – Currently In Full Bloom
Right now, gardens are bursting with life after the spring rains and warmer soil. The following plants are putting on their main show. Their flowers are open, colorful, and attracting plenty of pollinators to your yard.
Spring Bulbs and Early Favorites
These are the reliable performers that signal the true start of the growing season. They often bloom before the trees fully leaf out, soaking up the sun.
- Tulips: Their bold, cup-shaped flowers are at their peak. You’ll see every color imaginable, from deep purples to bright yellows.
- Daffodils (Narcissus): While early varieties are fading, many mid and late-season daffodils are still shining. Their cheerful faces are a sure sign of spring.
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra): This classic shade plant has arching stems lined with heart-shaped pink or white flowers. It’s a real standout in cooler areas.
- Lilacs (Syringa): Their fragrant purple, white, or pink flower clusters are filling the air with a sweet scent. They’re a must-have for any spring garden.
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
These larger plants provide structure and massive impact. They can define your entire landscape when they are in flower.
- Azaleas and Rhododendrons: These shrubs are covered in vibrant blooms. Colors range from soft pinks to fiery oranges and rich reds, prefering acidic soil.
- Dogwoods (Cornus): Both flowering dogwoods and Pacific dogwoods are covered with their distinctive bracts, which look like large white or pink petals.
- Cherry and Crabapple Blossoms: These trees are clouds of pink or white flowers. Many varieties are at their most spectacular right now, though petals may start to fall soon.
- Forsythia: While it’s one of the earliest, some later-blooming forsythia are still showing their bright yellow flowers on bare branches.
Reliable Perennials
These plants come back year after year, providing consistant color. They form the backbone of many garden beds.
- Peonies: Their large, lush, and often fragrant blooms are starting to open. Ants are commonly seen on the buds, but they’re harmless and just after the nectar.
- Columbine (Aquilegia): These whimsical flowers with their spurred petals dance on slender stems. They come in bicolors and are great for partial shade.
- Salvia (Perennial Sage): Spikes of blue, purple, or pink flowers are beginning to rise. They are a favorite of bees and hummingbirds alike.
- Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis): Known for it’s frothy chartreuse flowers and beautiful dew-catching leaves, this plant is a wonderful soft filler.
How to Care for Your Current Blooms
To keep the show going strong and ensure health for next year, a little care is needed. Follow these simple steps.
Deadheading Spent Flowers
Removing old flowers encourages some plants to bloom again. It also keeps the plant looking tidy.
- Check your plants every few days for flowers that are wilting or fading.
- Use clean, sharp pruners or your fingers to snip off the spent bloom just above the first set of healthy leaves.
- For flowers on spikes, like salvia, cut the entire spike back to the base once all flowers are gone.
Supporting Top-Heavy Flowers
Heavy rain or wind can flatten peonies and other large blooms. Giving them support prevents breakage.
- Use grow-through peony rings for best results, installed early in the season.
- For individual stems, you can use slim bamboo stakes and soft garden twine.
- Place supports before the plants get to tall, so they grow up through them naturally.
Watering and Feeding
Blooming uses a lot of energy. Consistent moisture and a little food makes a big difference.
- Water deeply at the base of plants early in the morning. Avoid wetting the foliage to prevent disease.
- Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer around the root zone of heavy feeders like peonies and roses.
- A layer of mulch around plants helps retain soil moisture and keeps roots cool during warmer days.
What to Plant Now for Later Color
While you enjoy the current display, it’s the perfect time to sow seeds or plant summer-blooming bulbs. This ensures your garden has continuous color.
- Direct Sow: Sunflower, zinnia, and cosmos seeds can go right into warm soil.
- Plant Bulbs: Gladiolus, dahlias, and cannas can be planted now for mid-to-late summer fireworks.
- Add Annuals: Pick up nursery-grown petunias, marigolds, and geraniums for instant container color.
Common Problems with Spring Blooms
Keep an eye out for these typical issues. Catching them early makes management much easier.
- Powdery Mildew: Looks like white dust on leaves (common on lilacs). Improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering.
- Aphids: Tiny green or black insects on new growth. A strong spray of water from the hose often knocks them off effectively.
- Petal Blight: Causes flowers on azaleas to turn mushy. Quickly remove and dispose of any affected blooms to prevent spread.
FAQ: Your Blooming Questions Answered
What flowers are blooming right now in my area?
The best way to know is to visit a local botanical garden or nursery. They showcase plants that are currently in full bloom in your specific climate zone. Your local conditions are the best guide.
Why are my plants not blooming?
Common reasons include too much shade, incorrect pruning (cutting off flower buds), or excess nitrogen fertilizer which promotes leaves over flowers. Sometimes a plant just needs more time to mature.
How often should I water flowering plants?
There’s no single rule. Check soil moisture by sticking your finger an inch deep. If it’s dry, it’s time to water. Most plants prefer a deep, thorough watering less often over frequent sprinkles.
What is considered full bloom?
Full bloom means the majority of flowers on a plant are open and at their peak color. It’s the stage before they start to fade or drop petals. This is the most spectacular time to see them.
Can I cut flowers for bouquets now?
Absolutely! Cutting blooms often encourages more flowers. Cut in the morning when stems are full of water, and use a sharp knife. Immediately place them in a bucket of warm water for longest vase life.