10 Things I Add to the Garden Now for Early Color Next Spring • Schisandra & Bergamot

Fall may feel like the end of the gardening season, but it’s actually the best time to plan ahead for early spring color. With a few smart plantings and simple additions, your garden can burst to life the moment winter fades.

These early bloomers and garden accents help chase away the gray days and welcome the first signs of warmth in style. Here are 10 things I like to add to my garden now so it wakes up full of color and charm next spring.

Spring-Blooming Bulbs

Purple and yellow crocus flowers bloom among green grass and a dry leaf in sunlight. — Photo Credit: Claudia CDK/Pexels

Planting tulips, daffodils, and crocuses in fall guarantees a bright display when spring arrives. They’re easy to grow and look stunning when planted in clusters.

Pansies and Violas

A densely packed bed of pansies, displaying vibrant purple and yellow petals, with green leaves interspersed throughout. — Photo Credit: Pixabay/Pexels

These hardy flowers can handle cool temperatures and even bloom through light frosts. Planting them now ensures you’ll see cheerful pops of color early in the season.

Hellebores

Close-up of several pink hellebore flowers with green leaves, some petals showing water droplets. The background is softly blurred. — Photo Credit: Antranias/Pixabay

Also known as Lenten roses, hellebores bloom in late winter or very early spring. Their elegant flowers come in soft pinks, whites, and purples, adding beauty when little else is blooming.

Early-Blooming Shrubs

A branch of bright yellow forsythia flowers against a blurred background of trees and blue sky. — Photo Credit: Pixabay/Pexels

Shrubs like forsythia and witch hazel burst into color just as winter ends. They bring structure and brightness to the garden before most plants wake up.

Primroses

A vibrant display of pink, purple, and magenta primrose flowers with yellow centers and green leaves. — Photo Credit: Alex P/Pexels

Primroses are compact, colorful, and thrive in cool weather. They’re perfect for borders or containers that need a splash of early-season color.

Creeping Phlox

A dense cluster of light purple phlox flowers in full bloom, with green leaves occasionally visible among the blossoms. — Photo Credit: zoosnow/Pixabay

This low-growing perennial carpets the ground in shades of pink, purple, and white. It’s one of the first plants to bloom and looks beautiful along walkways and rock gardens.

Decorative Garden Stones

Close-up of small white stones mixed with a few scattered brown pine needles. — Photo Credit: Galarta/Deposit Photos

Adding a few bright or patterned garden stones now helps keep your space visually appealing before plants bloom. They also highlight emerging flowers beautifully in spring.

Evergreen Plants

Four round, green shrubs are planted in decorative terracotta and ceramic pots, arranged on a sunlit brick patio near a stone wall. — Photo Credit: cocoparisienne/Pixabay

Evergreens like boxwood or dwarf conifers add color and texture year-round. Their steady green presence helps frame your early spring blooms.

Cold-Tolerant Herbs

Close-up of fresh green parsley leaves growing in a garden, with blurred foliage in the background. — Photo Credit: Pixabay/Pexels

Herbs like parsley, thyme, and chives often survive winter and reappear early in spring. They add greenery and fragrance long before most plants return.

Mulch and Fresh Borders

Young green lettuce plants growing in soil covered with mulch and bordered by blue plastic irrigation tubes. — Photo Credit: Mumemories/Envato

Refreshing your mulch and edging your beds in fall creates clean lines that highlight spring’s first blooms. It’s an easy, affordable way to make your garden look tidy and colorful when everything starts growing again.

A little planning in fall makes all the difference when spring rolls around. By adding these colorful plants and touches now, your garden will wake up full of life and warmth. It’s the best way to welcome the new season with beauty and ease.