Cool-weather annuals are perfect for getting a head start on the garden in Maine and Massachusetts. I love starting seeds indoors and watching them grow into vibrant plants ready to brighten up chilly gardens.
From cheerful pansies to delicate snapdragons, there are plenty of options that thrive in cooler temperatures. Starting them now ensures a colorful, lively garden as soon as the season allows.
1. Snapdragons
These vertical bloomers love the cool spring air in Massachusetts. They’ll reward early planting with months of colorful flowers in a rainbow of options.
In Maine gardens, snapdragons can withstand light frosts without damage. Their unique mouth-like blooms fascinate children and add architectural interest to any garden bed.
2. Sweet Peas
Nothing beats their heavenly fragrance in a Maine spring garden. Start these climbers indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost for earlier blooms.
Massachusetts gardeners appreciate their ability to flower before summer heat arrives. The delicate, butterfly-like blossoms come in pastels and bright colors that brighten any fence or trellis.
3. Calendula
Often called pot marigold, these sunny bloomers practically laugh at Massachusetts frost. Their edible petals add color to salads and have traditional medicinal uses.
Maine gardeners love how they self-seed readily for years of golden blooms. Their cheerful orange and yellow flowers keep coming until hard frost, making them incredible garden workhorses.
4. Larkspur
Tall spikes of blue, pink, or white flowers create vertical interest in Maine gardens. These cottage garden classics actually need cold temperatures to germinate properly.
Sow directly in Massachusetts soil in early spring for best results. Their delphinium-like appearance brings cottage garden charm without the fuss of their perennial cousins.
5. Bachelor’s Buttons
Also called cornflowers, these true-blue blooms thrive in Massachusetts’ cool spring weather. Their fuzzy, button-like flowers appear on sturdy stems that rarely need staking.
Maine gardeners appreciate how drought-tolerant they become once established. The electric blue color is uncommon in the flower world, making them especially valuable in garden design.
6. Stock
The spicy-sweet fragrance fills Maine gardens with perfume on cool spring days. These old-fashioned flowers come in whites, pinks, and purples on sturdy stems.
In Massachusetts, they make excellent cutting flowers that last well in vases. For the strongest scent, plant them where evening breezes will carry their fragrance toward patios or windows.
7. Pansies
These cheerful faces are often the first flowers to brighten Massachusetts gardens after winter. Their remarkable cold tolerance means they’ll bloom through light snow and bounce back from freezes.
Maine gardeners can start them indoors for earlier blooms. Their edible flowers make charming decorations for spring cakes and salads, adding both color and a mild wintergreen flavor.
8. Sweet Alyssum
Tiny white, purple, or pink flowers create a fragrant carpet in Maine gardens. The honey-scented blooms attract beneficial insects that help control garden pests naturally.
In Massachusetts, they’ll often bloom from spring until the first hard freeze. Their low-growing habit makes them perfect for edging beds or spilling over walls and container edges.
9. Nigella
Commonly called love-in-a-mist, these whimsical flowers thrive in Maine’s cool climate. Their blue blooms are surrounded by feathery foliage that creates a misty effect in the garden.
Massachusetts gardeners appreciate their interesting seed pods for dried arrangements. Simply sow seeds directly where you want them to grow, as they don’t transplant well due to sensitive roots.
10. Nemesia
These dainty bloomers create masses of colorful flowers in Massachusetts spring gardens. They resemble tiny snapdragons and come in a rainbow of bright, cheerful colors.
In Maine’s cool climate, they’ll continue flowering much longer than in warmer regions. Their compact size makes them perfect for containers or front-of-border placements where their detailed blooms can be appreciated.
11. Dianthus
Often called pinks, these spicy-scented flowers bring cottage garden charm to Maine landscapes. Their fringed petals come in shades from white to deep red, often with contrasting centers.
Massachusetts gardeners love their ability to withstand cool temperatures and light frosts. The clove-like fragrance is strongest on warm days following cool nights, making spring the perfect time to enjoy them.
12. Violas
Smaller cousins to pansies, these tough little flowers laugh at Massachusetts frosts. Their dainty faces come in incredible color combinations, often with whisker-like markings called penciling.
In Maine gardens, they’ll bloom through snowfall and return quickly after it melts. For a charming display, try heirloom varieties like ‘Johnny Jump-ups’ that combine purple, yellow, and white on each flower.
13. Nasturtiums
Both flowers and leaves are edible with a peppery zip that livens up Maine garden salads. The round leaves collect morning dew like miniature lily pads, adding garden magic.
Massachusetts gardeners can choose between climbing or bush varieties in colors from pale yellow to deep mahogany. Their ability to bloom in poor soil makes them perfect for challenging garden spots.
14. Lobelia
Intense blue flowers create stunning cascades in Massachusetts container gardens. The electric color is rare in the flower world and creates beautiful contrasts with yellows and oranges.
Maine gardeners appreciate their long blooming period in cool weather. For best results, start seeds indoors 10-12 weeks before last frost, as the tiny seeds develop slowly into blooming plants.
15. Clarkia
Also called farewell-to-spring, these native wildflowers thrive in Maine’s cool conditions. Their tissue-paper blooms in shades of pink and salmon create a delicate, dancing effect in breezes.
Massachusetts gardeners find they’re wonderfully low-maintenance and deer-resistant. Direct sow as soon as soil can be worked for flowers that bloom before summer heat arrives, then gracefully fade away.
16. Schizanthus
Nicknamed butterfly flower or poor man’s orchid, these exotic-looking blooms surprise Maine gardeners with their tropical appearance. Intricate, spotted flowers in pinks, purples, and whites cover the ferny foliage.
In Massachusetts, they make excellent container specimens for cool porches. Despite their delicate appearance, they’re quite sturdy in cool weather and bring a touch of the exotic to spring gardens.
17. Godetia
Silky, cup-shaped flowers in shades of pink, salmon, and red brighten up Maine spring gardens. They prefer cool conditions and will fade away when summer heat arrives.
Massachusetts gardeners value their old-fashioned charm in cottage gardens. The satiny texture of the petals catches morning light beautifully, making them especially lovely in east-facing garden beds.