Spring Flowers

Spring flowers are the first big burst of color after winter, and many of them start life as bulbs planted in fall. Bulbs such as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths store food underground through the cold months, then push up leaves and blooms as soon as the soil warms and the days lengthen. Their early flowers give hungry bees one of the first meals of the year.

This collection covers the classic blooms of March, April and May, from fragrant May lilacs and globe-shaped alliums to peonies, poppies and sweet peas. Each guide explains when the flower blooms, how to grow it and the legends and meanings behind it.