In February, it can be tricky to start plants from seed and the garden may still feel bare. However, there are five brilliant plants that you can grow to add instant impact and beauty to your garden. These plants provide food, flowers, and leaf interest, ensuring that your garden is full and vibrant all year round.

Grow Crocuses

One of the first plants to pop up in late winter and early spring is the crocus. These small goblet-shaped flowers come in a variety of beautiful shades, including purple, yellow, and white. While the flowers may be fleeting, the real beauty lies in the details, such as the shifting colors and the bright stamens inside the petals.

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You may think that it’s too late to plant crocus bulbs, but you can easily add them to your garden by purchasing them in small pots from a garden center. These affordable plants can be quickly added to containers or borders, and they will come back year after year, slowly spreading and increasing in numbers. Their lovely little patches of happiness will bring color to your garden when you need it most.

Grow Chard

If you’re looking for an easy-to-grow vegetable that doesn’t take up much space, consider chard. This leafy green thrives in cool conditions, making it perfect for mild climates. While it has an earthy flavor, what sets chard apart is its ornamental value. Varieties like “Bright Lights” feature colorful stems in shades of rhubarb pink, red, yellow, gold, and white.

Chard can be harvested as baby leaves for salads or left to grow to maturity. The best part is that you only need to make one or two sewings per year, as you can treat chard plants like cut-and-come-again lettuce. These tough plants can survive both dry spells and frost, making them a resilient and tasty addition to any garden.

Ferns

To add texture and depth to your garden, consider growing ferns. These lush green plants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from broad strappy leaves to finely cut fronds. Ferns are particularly valuable for shady areas where other plants may struggle.

They thrive under trees, in containers, or in north-facing gardens. Ferns are low-maintenance, requiring minimal care once they are planted. They add a lush look to your garden with minimal effort, making them a practical choice for any gardener.

Broad Beans

If you’re looking for a tasty and hearty crop, consider growing broad beans. These edible beans produce dozens of big fat pods that are delicious when lightly cooked or blanched and frozen for later use. Broad beans can be sown now or in the autumn, depending on your preference.

Starting them in pots before planting them out can help establish the plants and ensure better survival rates. Broad beans not only provide a bountiful harvest but also improve the condition of the soil. After harvesting, you can cut the plants down to the surface, leaving the nitrogen-fixing nodules in the ground to enrich the soil. Give broad beans a try and enjoy a delicious harvest later this year.

Antirrhinums

Looking ahead to the warm and sunny days of summer, it’s time to think about flowers. One versatile flower to consider is the antirrhinum, commonly known as snapdragons. These cottage garden-style flowers come in a kaleidoscope of colors, including reds, yellows, pinks, oranges, and whites.

Antirrhinums have a long flowering season and make great cut flowers. They also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, promoting biodiversity in your garden. You can start sowing antirrhinum seeds now or wait until later in the spring to buy plants from a garden center. Either way, these beautiful flowers will add color and vibrancy to your garden.

Conclusion

February is a great time to start growing plants that will bring beauty and joy to your garden. Whether you choose crocuses, chard, ferns, broad beans, or antirrhinums, each plant offers its own unique benefits. By adding these plants to your garden, you can create a collection of beautiful and diverse plants that will thrive and bring you joy throughout the year.

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