21 Gardens That Have Us Itching for Spring

Easy Growing: Rose-purple Azaleas
Photo: Ralph Anderson

The official start of spring is March 20, but these gardens allow us to admire the beauty of the season now.

01 of 22

An Azalea Affair

Azalea Affair
Hector Manuel Sanchez

It's hard to imagine spring in the South without the iconic evergreen bushes.

02 of 22

Spring Showstopper

Linda Vater English Garden with Tulips in Oklahoma
Alison Miksch

Self-taught gardener Linda Vater grows over 800 tulips every spring.

03 of 22

Illuminating Daffodils

growing daffodils
Photo: Art Maripol

Each spring at Moss Mountain Farm in Roland, Arkansas, the stars come out twice—once at night, like everywhere else, and again in the daytime, when innumerable daffodils illuminate hills and meadows from horizon to horizon.

04 of 22

Endless Hydrangeas

Endless Summer Hydrangea

French hydrangeas are favorite plants that Southerners love to clip and share with friends and family members.

05 of 22

Iconic Image

Easy Growing: Rose-purple Azaleas
Ralph Anderson

Azaleas, flowering dogwoods, and live oaks laden with Spanish moss create an iconic picture of spring in the South.

06 of 22

Talk of the Neighborhood

How To Convert Your Lawn into a Garden
Photo: Alison Miksch

Garden designer David Morello went rogue and replaced his ho-hum lawn with a collage of flowers and shrubs

07 of 22

Bounty of Blooms

The Fiormal Parterre Garden
Photo: Alison Miksch

Stalwart annuals and perennials such as purple coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, angelonias, Persian shields, SunPatiens, coreopsis, lamb's ears, mandevillas, and Shasta daisies offer nonstop color throughout the hot summer.

08 of 22

Step Inside

Cottage Garden Gate
Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson

For an inviting entrance into a cottage garden, plant a basket with caladiums, angelonias, Madagascar periwinkles, and million bells.

09 of 22

Start a Collection

Pick Your Own Tulips
Alison Miksch

At Burnside Farms in Virginia, you can harvest fresh bouquets right from the field. Visitors are encouraged to pick tulips with the bulbs attached.

10 of 22

Spring Lawn Care with the Grumpy Gardener

At the beginning of spring, we start to see lawns around the South turn from the dingy brown of winter into the fresh, bright greens of the season. This transition is absolutely gorgeous, and we want to help you make the most of your spring gardening. Grumpy Gardener Steve Bender is here to get your lawn in tip-top shape, so you can outshine all of your neighbors. Who doesn't want to win the 'Best Lawn' award from the neighborhood HOA? These three easy lawn care tips from our resident garden pro are simple to follow, and they'll make a huge impact on the look of your home. Follow along to ensure that you're all set for garden parties in the outdoor months.

11 of 22

Room in Bloom

Garden Chaises with Climbing Roses
Alison Miksch

Gardener and desiger Henry Johnson used plants and structures to give garden rooms floors, walls, and ceilings.

12 of 22

Framed with Flowers

Arkansas Cottage After
Photo: Hector Sanchez

This house's symmetrical facade is paired with a welcoming, neat-as-a-pin front garden for tremendous curb appeal.

13 of 22

Hollyhock Show

Hollyhocks Glenville, North Carolina
Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson

These spectacular perennials regularly reach 8 feet— and taller!

14 of 22

Glowing Tulips

The Spring gardens at Eyre Hall, in Cheriton, Virginia.
Photo: Roger Foley

Elegant tulip blooms grace spring gardens with a variety of colors and forms.

15 of 22

Pretty in Pink

Rose-Covered Pergolas
Photo: Roger Foley

Climbing 'New Dawn' roses atop shade-giving pergolas explode into bloom.

16 of 22

Welcoming Daffodils

Grow Daffodils in Containers
Photo: Roger Foley

No bulbs are easier for container growing in the South than beloved daffodils.

17 of 22

Blooming Courtyard

Blooming Courtyard
Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson

Loose borders such as these appear more dramatic when sandwiched between hedged and tree-form evergreens.

18 of 22

Inviting Roses

Climbing Roses
Photo: Jean Allsopp

Adding height, dimension, and color, climbing roses fill voids more gracefully than most other plants.

19 of 22

Blooming Borders

Wooden Chicken Coop
Matthew Benson, Robbie Caponetto

Blooms surround this backyard coop.

20 of 22

Framed with Flowers

Rose-Covered Arch
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Climbing roses accentuate the architectural details of this Atlanta garden.

21 of 22

Hidden Retreat

Ron Ernst Garden
Photo: Hector Sanchez

When Ron Ernst bought this 1891 two-story town house in Thomasville, Georgia, the house came with a bonus—a beautiful little walled garden out back that he could share with his customers.

22 of 22

Curving Flowerbeds

Keys to a Beautiful Garden

Even though there's plenty of room for kids to play, it doesn't look like a soccer field.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles