Spring is the most exciting time of year in the garden. The days are getting longer, the soil is warming up and that irresistible urge to get outside and start planting is impossible to ignore. But with so many plants available right now it can be genuinely overwhelming knowing where to start.
This guide cuts through the confusion. Whether you have a large border to fill, a small patio with a few pots or just a single window box, here is exactly what to plant right now in the UK — and why each plant is worth your time and money this spring.
Why spring is the most important planting season
Spring is when most plants establish themselves most successfully. The soil is moist from winter rain, temperatures are rising and days are lengthening — all the conditions plants love most. A plant put in the ground in April has the whole growing season ahead of it to put down roots, establish itself and start performing.
Plants bought and planted in spring also give you something that summer purchases cannot — the full season ahead of you. Plant lavender in April and it will reward you with flowers in June, July and August. Plant it in August and you have missed the best of it for that year already.
The other reason spring planting matters so much is simple — garden centres are at their best right now. The choice is enormous, the plants are fresh and well grown, and everything is competitively priced. Leave it until June and the best varieties have already sold out.
What to plant right now — April and May
Here is a comprehensive guide to the best things to plant in the UK right now, organised by type so you can find exactly what suits your garden.
Hardy perennials — plant now for years of colour
Hardy perennials are the backbone of any good garden. Plant them once and they come back year after year, getting bigger and better each time. April and May are the perfect time to plant them — they establish quickly in the warming soil and many will flower in their first year.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Perhaps the single best value plant you can buy this spring. Lavender establishes brilliantly when planted now, flowers from June through August, is completely low maintenance, drought tolerant and absolutely loved by bees. Plant in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Available in purple, blue, pink and white. Buy several and plant them together for maximum impact.
Hardy Geranium (Geranium 'Rozanne')
One of the longest flowering perennials available. 'Rozanne' produces vivid blue-purple flowers from May right through to October — an extraordinary season of interest for a plant that costs just a few pounds and needs almost no attention. Perfect for the front of borders and looks wonderful spilling over path edges. Works in sun or partial shade.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)
Plant now for a spectacular late summer display from July to September. Available in pink, purple, white and a growing range of warm orange and red shades. Drought tolerant, loved by bees and butterflies, and the seedheads feed birds through winter. An incredibly hard-working plant that gets better every year.
Astrantia (Astrantia major)
An underused gem that deserves a place in every UK garden. Intricate star-shaped flowers in pink, white, red and deep burgundy from May through July. Thrives in clay soil and partial shade — two conditions that many UK gardens have. Also makes a beautiful cut flower. Self-seeds gently to gradually fill space.
Salvia (Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna')
Striking upright spikes of deep purple from June to August. One of the most reliable and beautiful plants for full sun. Bees are absolutely mad for it. Trim lightly after the first flush of flowers for a second flowering later in the season. RHS Award of Garden Merit winner.
Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii)
Soft lavender-blue flowers from May through August with the most wonderful aromatic grey-green foliage. Incredibly easy to grow, perfectly happy in poor dry soil and absolutely irresistible to bees. Trim hard after the first flush in June for a second flowering in August.
Climbing plants — plant now to cover walls and fences
Climbers are some of the most transformative plants in any garden. They cover unsightly fences, add height and drama, and can fill a bare wall with colour in a single season.
Clematis (Clematis various)
The most versatile climbing plant available. Plant a well-chosen clematis now and you will have flowers this summer. Choose your variety carefully based on when you want it to flower — early varieties peak in May and June, late-flowering types bloom from July through September. All prefer their roots in shade and their heads in sun. Keep well watered in the first season.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)
One of the great pleasures of a British summer — the intoxicating fragrance of honeysuckle drifting through the garden on a warm evening. Plant now and it will establish quickly. Flowers from June through August. Loved by moths, bees and birds. Works on fences, walls, pergolas and arches. Happy in sun or partial shade.
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
If you have not already sown sweet peas from seed you can still buy young plants now and get a wonderful display from June through August. The fragrance is extraordinary — there is nothing quite like cutting a bunch of sweet peas from your own garden. Pick flowers regularly to keep the plant producing more. Available in an incredible range of colours.
Jasmine (Jasminum officinale)
White star-shaped flowers with an intoxicating fragrance from June through August. Vigorous and easy to grow. Perfect for covering a sunny fence or wall. Needs some support to begin with but quickly takes off. One of the most rewarding climbers you can plant.
Shrubs — plant now for structure and long-term colour
Shrubs are the most long-lasting plants in any garden. Plant them now and they will reward you for decades.
Choisya (Choisya ternata)
Also known as Mexican Orange Blossom. Fragrant white flowers in April and May and often again in autumn. Attractive aromatic evergreen foliage year round. Completely low maintenance and happy in sun or partial shade. One of the most reliable and beautiful evergreen shrubs available for UK gardens.
Weigela (Weigela florida)
A brilliant flowering shrub for clay soil. Covered in tubular pink, red or white flowers in May and June. Some varieties have attractive bronze or variegated foliage that looks good all season. Completely low maintenance — simply cut back a third of the oldest stems after flowering each year.
Hardy Fuchsia (Fuchsia magellanica)
Hardy varieties of fuchsia are completely different from the tender bedding types. They survive UK winters outdoors and produce a continuous display of elegant pendant flowers from June right through to the first frosts. Available in pink, purple and red. Thrives in partial shade and clay soil. Cut back to ground level in early spring.
Buddleja (Buddleja davidii)
The butterfly bush — and the name is absolutely earned. In July, August and September a mature buddleja in full flower can be covered in dozens of butterflies at once. Available in purple, pink, white and lilac. Grows quickly and needs cutting back hard each spring to keep it tidy. One of the best wildlife plants available.
Bulbs to plant right now
Most spring bulbs were planted last autumn — but there are some brilliant summer flowering bulbs that go in right now for a spectacular display later in the season.
Dahlia tubers
April and May is the perfect time to plant dahlia tubers. They will produce non-stop flowers from July right through to the first frosts — an extraordinary season of colour. Available in virtually every colour except blue. Deadhead regularly to keep them flowering. In cold northern regions dig the tubers up in autumn and store them frost-free over winter.
Lily bulbs (Lilium)
Plant now for spectacular fragrant flowers from June through August. Oriental lilies are the most intensely fragrant — the scent on a warm summer evening is unforgettable. Asiatic lilies offer a wider colour range and flower slightly earlier. Both are excellent in large pots as well as borders.
Allium bulbs
If you did not plant alliums last autumn you can still buy pot-grown plants right now. The giant purple spherical flowerheads of Allium 'Globemaster' appearing in May and June are one of the great spectacles of the spring garden. They also work beautifully rising up through other plants in a border.
Plants for pots and containers
If you garden mainly in pots and containers April and May are the very best months to plant them up. The risk of hard frost has largely passed and there is the whole growing season ahead.
Pelargoniums (Pelargonium)
The classic summer container plant. Available in red, pink, white, salmon and purple. Flower continuously from June until the first frosts. Deadhead regularly to keep them looking their best. Bring indoors before the first frost and they will overwinter happily on a windowsill.
Heuchera (Heuchera various)
The perfect permanent container plant. Outstanding foliage in extraordinary colours — deep burgundy, bright lime green, warm caramel, silver and purple. Completely evergreen and fully hardy so it looks good all year round. Small white or pink flower spikes appear in early summer as a bonus.
Agapanthus (Agapanthus 'Blue Storm')
One of the most architectural and impressive container plants available. Agapanthus produces striking blue or white spherical flowers on tall stems in July and August. Prefers being slightly pot-bound so actually performs better in a container than in the ground. Fully hardy and low maintenance.
Lavender in pots
Lavender works brilliantly in containers — the excellent drainage of a pot suits it perfectly. A large pot of lavender on a sunny doorstep or patio looks beautiful and smells wonderful. Use a gritty well-drained compost and place in full sun.
What NOT to plant yet
Equally important to knowing what to plant now is knowing what to wait for. Some plants are damaged by late frosts which can still occur in the UK through April and into May in northern regions.
Wait until after the last frost date for your area before planting:
- Dahlias — in the ground in southern England from late April but wait until mid May in northern England and Scotland
- Tender bedding plants — petunias, begonias, busy lizzies — all need to wait until the risk of frost has completely passed
- Pelargoniums — in pots outside from late May only
Making the most of your spring planting
Buy from reputable UK suppliers
Thompson & Morgan, Crocus, Sarah Raven and the RHS all supply excellent quality plants by mail order. Your local independent garden centre is also worth supporting — the plants are often better quality than supermarket or DIY store plants and the advice is invaluable.
Prepare your soil before planting
Dig in some well-rotted compost or manure before planting new perennials and shrubs. It makes an enormous difference to how quickly they establish and how well they perform.
Water well after planting
Even if the forecast shows rain — a good soaking immediately after planting helps roots establish quickly. Water regularly through the first summer. Even drought tolerant plants need help in their first year.
Plant in groups
Three of the same plant together makes far more impact than one plant on its own. If budget is tight buy one this year, divide it in a couple of years and you will have three for free.
Label everything
It sounds obvious but it is remarkably easy to forget what you planted and where. A simple plastic label in the ground saves enormous confusion later in the year.
Not sure what to plant in your specific garden?
Every garden is different. What thrives in a sunny south-facing border in Surrey may struggle in a shady north-facing garden in Yorkshire. The plants that love your sandy free-draining soil may be completely wrong for your neighbour's heavy clay.
That is exactly why we built GardenColourPlan. Answer eight simple questions about your garden — your location, soil type, how sunny it is, your favourite colours and how much time you want to spend — and we will give you a personalised planting plan with exactly the right plants for your specific garden, giving you colour in every single month of the year. You can also explore our full plant library of UK garden plants, each one with flowering times, growing conditions and direct links to buy from trusted UK retailers.
It takes two minutes and it is completely free.