When autumn’s first cool breezes start to blow across Pennsylvania, most gardeners aren’t thinking about spring flowers – but they should be! Late summer is actually the perfect time to get early-blooming perennials into the ground, giving their roots time to establish before winter arrives.
These hardy plants will reward your foresight by being the first splashes of color in your garden when winter finally releases its grip on the Keystone State.
1. Snowdrops: The Brave Garden Pioneers
Sometimes appearing while snow still blankets the ground, these delicate white bells are often the earliest spring bloomers in Pennsylvania gardens. Their ability to push through frozen soil amazes me every February.
Plant bulbs about 3 inches deep and 3 inches apart in partially shaded areas with well-draining soil. My neighbor’s woodland garden edge creates the perfect setting for these tough little beauties.
They naturalize easily, forming bigger clumps each year without any special care. For best results, plant them where you’ll see them from a window during those last dreary winter days.
2. Winter Aconite: Sunshine After Snow
Bright yellow buttercup-like blooms emerge just after snowdrops, creating cheerful carpets of gold in late February or early March. The contrast against the often-gray Pennsylvania late winter landscape never fails to lift my spirits.
Success with winter aconite comes from planting tubers in humus-rich soil about 2-3 inches deep. They prefer areas that receive winter sun but summer shade – perfect under deciduous trees in many Pennsylvania yards.
After flowering, let the foliage die back naturally to feed next year’s blooms. I’ve found they spread gradually over time, creating larger patches of early color each year.
3. Hellebores: The Lenten Rose’s Quiet Beauty
Growing up in eastern Pennsylvania, my grandmother always pointed out her hellebores as the first sign winter was ending. These evergreen perennials produce elegant, nodding blooms in shades of white, pink, purple, and green.
Plant them in rich, well-draining soil in dappled shade. Fall planting gives them time to establish strong roots before their February-March flowering season. The deer-resistant nature makes them especially valuable in rural Pennsylvania gardens.
Trim away old leaves in late winter to showcase the emerging flowers. A handful of bone meal worked into the soil at planting time helps fuel spectacular spring blooms year after year.
4. Glory-Of-The-Snow: True To Its Name
Walking through my Pennsylvania neighborhood last March, I spotted these star-shaped blue flowers poking through patches of melting snow. Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa) creates stunning drifts of color when planted in generous numbers.
Plant bulbs about 3 inches deep in fall, choosing a spot with well-draining soil that receives full sun in early spring. They tolerate the clay-heavy soils common in many Pennsylvania gardens better than most spring bulbs.
For a beautiful combination, try planting them near early daffodils – the blue and yellow create a perfect early spring palette. They’ll multiply naturally over time, forming larger colonies each year.
5. Crocus: Colorful Cups For Hungry Bees
These familiar harbingers of spring provide not just color but also vital early nectar for bees emerging on warm March days. In my Pennsylvania garden, the purple, yellow, and white blooms often appear while patches of snow still linger.
For best results, plant crocus corms about 3-4 inches deep in well-draining soil during late summer. They thrive in full sun to light shade and prefer locations that stay relatively dry during summer dormancy.
A Pennsylvania gardening friend taught me to plant them in lawn areas for a meadow effect. Just be sure to delay mowing until the foliage yellows – usually about 6 weeks after flowering.
6. Early Daffodils: Trumpet Heralds Of Spring
Nothing says “spring has arrived” in Pennsylvania quite like daffodils bobbing in the March breeze. Early varieties like ‘February Gold’ and ‘Tete-a-Tete’ can bloom weeks before their standard-sized cousins.
Plant bulbs in late summer about 6 inches deep in well-draining soil with full to partial sun exposure. A handful of bulb fertilizer in the planting hole gives them a good start in our Pennsylvania clay soils.
The deer and rodent resistance of daffodils makes them perfect for rural properties. I’ve had clusters blooming faithfully for over a decade at my Chester County home with absolutely no special care.
7. Primrose: Woodland Jewels For Shady Spots
The cheerful clusters of primrose flowers bring welcome color to shady Pennsylvania garden corners in early April. Their low-growing rosettes of crinkled leaves provide a perfect backdrop for the bright blooms.
Late summer planting allows them to develop strong roots before winter sets in. Choose a location with rich, moisture-retentive soil in partial to full shade – the north side of my house has proven perfect in my zone 6b Pennsylvania garden.
A layer of leaf mulch helps protect them during winter while mimicking their woodland habitat. Come spring, they’ll reward you with charming clusters of yellow, pink, purple, or red flowers.
8. Siberian Squill: Blue Carpets Of Joy
Every April, patches of intense blue appear throughout my Pennsylvania neighborhood as Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) bursts into bloom. These nodding blue flowers create stunning carpets when planted in drifts.
Fall planting of these small bulbs about 3 inches deep in well-draining soil gives them time to establish before winter. They thrive under deciduous trees where they receive sun before the trees leaf out.
During a garden club meeting in Lancaster County, I learned these tough little bulbs naturalize readily in Pennsylvania’s climate. Just be aware – they self-seed enthusiastically, so plant them where spreading won’t be a problem.
9. Bloodroot: Native Beauty For Woodland Gardens
As a Pennsylvania native plant enthusiast, bloodroot holds a special place in my garden. The pristine white flowers with golden centers emerge before the uniquely shaped leaves unfurl, usually in late March or early April.
Plant rhizomes just below the soil surface in late summer, choosing a spot with rich, moist soil and dappled shade. My woodland garden edge provides the perfect conditions for these woodland natives.
The flowers last only a few days, but the distinctive blue-green foliage provides interest well into summer. A Pennsylvania master gardener taught me to divide established clumps every few years to spread their beauty throughout shady garden areas.
10. Lenten Hellebore: Frost-Defying Elegance
Different from their cousins mentioned earlier, Lenten hellebores (Helleborus orientalis) offer an amazing color range from slate gray to deep burgundy. Their nodding flowers brighten my Pennsylvania garden from February through April.
Late summer planting in humus-rich, well-draining soil gives them a strong start before winter. Choose a location with dappled shade – under deciduous trees works perfectly in most Pennsylvania landscapes.
A local nursery owner in Bucks County showed me how to remove old foliage in February to better showcase the emerging flowers. Their evergreen nature provides winter interest, while their deer resistance makes them invaluable in rural Pennsylvania gardens.
11. Virginia Bluebells: Native Woodland Magic
Each April, a breathtaking transformation happens in my Pennsylvania shade garden when Virginia bluebells emerge. The pink buds open to reveal sky-blue trumpet-shaped flowers that create a magical woodland effect.
Plant dormant roots in late summer about 2 inches deep in rich, moist soil with dappled shade. They appreciate the leaf litter that naturally accumulates under deciduous trees in Pennsylvania woodlands.
After flowering, the foliage yellows and disappears by midsummer – perfect for interplanting with later-emerging perennials. A Pennsylvania wildflower preserve curator suggested pairing them with ferns that unfurl as the bluebells fade.
12. Pulmonaria: Spotted Leaves, Colorful Blooms
Known as lungwort, this shade-loving perennial offers a two-for-one display with spotted or silver-splashed foliage and clusters of pink-to-blue flowers. In my Pennsylvania garden, they begin blooming in late March, regardless of lingering cold snaps.
Plant divisions in late summer in rich, moisture-retentive soil in partial to full shade. The north side of my Pennsylvania home creates ideal conditions, where they receive morning sun but afternoon protection.
Unlike many spring bloomers, pulmonaria’s attractive foliage persists all season, making it a valuable addition to shade gardens. A garden center owner in Montgomery County showed me how different varieties offer unique leaf patterns and flower colors.
13. Spring Phlox: Fragrant Groundcover For Early Color
Creeping phlox creates cascades of pink, purple, or white flowers across Pennsylvania rock gardens and sunny slopes every April. The fragrant blooms attract early butterflies and create stunning displays along garden edges.
Plant divisions or nursery starts in late summer, spacing them about 12 inches apart in well-draining soil. Full sun locations with protection from harsh afternoon heat work best in Pennsylvania’s variable spring weather.
During a garden tour in York County, I learned how this native plant thrives in our climate with minimal care. Once established, it’s remarkably drought-tolerant and forms dense mats that suppress weeds while preventing soil erosion on slopes.