There are some distinctive signs of spring that are unmistakable in Northeast Ohio.
First, it’s that glorious sunshine. After months of what seems like gray, dull days, that sun is a great sign of warmer days to come.
The other big sign of spring is flowers. They’re bright, aromatic, and cheerful.
Spring buds and blooms are some of the best landscape additions a commercial property can provide for its employees, tenants, and visitors. And, what’s more, they draw more people to your property eager for a little cheer. Why? Because they provide instant curb appeal that makes your site stand out.
Here are the 8 best spring flowers for commercial landscapes -- and the best places to plant them.
The 8 Best Spring Flowers in Northeast Ohio Commercial Properties
When you want your commercial landscape professional to offer you a seasonal color program, you want them to be proactive, thinking about each season well in advance so you have a continuous color display throughout the year.
Doing this, a landscape business can plan a special design using colors that symbolize your business’ brand, and take advantage of plants like bulbs that are planted in fall but don’t deliver their gorgeous displays until spring.
While you might think you can just choose some flowers and get some quick spring color once the weather warms up, a little planning and consideration for color coordination, plant hardiness, and sun and shade conditions can elevate your color display.
When choosing spring blooming plants for Northeast Ohio, here are some of our favorites to consider.
1. Tulips
These brightly colored jewels are the ultimate signs of spring. Excitement even brews the minute we start to see those blue-green leaves emerge from the earth.
Tulips bloom in April and May and they come in almost every color so they can fit company colors or themes quite well. 
While tulips bloom in spring, preparation must start in late fall or early winter because tulip bulbs need a minimum of four weeks of chilling before they will bloom.
2. Daffodils
Daffodils are reliable bursts of sunshine that emerge as the weather warms up.
These spring flowers for commercial landscapes stand tall and straight and come in all yellow and yellow and white varieties, bringing that much needed sunny feeling to your space.
Daffodil bulbs are best planted in mid- to late-autumn and begin blooming in early spring, reaching peak bloom approximately one month after the final frost.
3. Hyacinth
Hyacinths bring bright blues and purples to the scene and are known for their perfume-like fragrance. Even from a distance, their scent can waft through the nearby air, giving everyone in the vicinity a warm feeling. 
These spring flowers in Northeast Ohio also bloom a little later than most other bulbs in May so their color and scent help lengthen that spring show. They are best planted in autumn in sunny locations about six to eight weeks before the first frost.
Another perk: Hyacinths are resistant to snacking by deer, rabbits, and other critters.
4. Pansies & Violas
Pretty pansy and viola faces are some of the first to cheer us up each spring with their pops of color.
While they look and feel like delicate flowers, these annuals are made to survive the roller coaster weather that is spring in Northeast Ohio. They can be planted in April as long as temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit aren’t in the forecast. 
Pansies and violas are some of the most versatile spring flowers for commercial landscapes because they’ll bloom all season until the heat of summer, and then you can also incorporate them again into your fall color. As some of the more frost-resistant and cold-tolerant annuals, their ranges of color from cool tones to warm tones can adorn commercial properties through the roughest parts of the seasons.
5. Forsythia
These low-maintenance, fast-growing, deciduous, flowering shrubs are upright and known for their long branches with brilliant yellow blooms in late winter/early spring.
The flowers of these spring flowers for commercial landscapes appear before their leaves, which means you get a great view of the blooms without foliage blocking your view.
Pollinators like bees and butterflies love forsythia, which provides a cheerful backdrop, border, or focal point on your property.
6. Vernal Witch Hazel
Commercial properties prize this medium-sized shrub for its showy, fragrant, yellow flowers with red bases and reliable golden fall color.
In late winter to early spring, vernal witch hazel’s lemon-like flowers arrive first before its green foliage which emerges burgundy in spring. 
Only prune this deciduous shrub after flowering to avoid removing blooms.
This spring blooming plant in Northeast Ohio will grow to be about 9 feel tall at maturity with a 13-foot spread. It remains full to the ground and performs well in full sun and shady spots. It will even tolerate some wetter areas, and deer aren’t fans of it.
7. Lenten Rose (Helleborus)
Lenten rose, a member of the Helleborus family, is not actually a rose, but rather a perennial that’s part of the buttercup family. Its name refers to the plant’s bloom season, which is around Lent, and the rose-like shape of its buds.
These are great spring flowers for commercial landscapes because they provide early blooms of purple, red, yellow, cream, green, blue, lavender, and pink. Paired with evergreen foliage, the plant showcases nice color through the growing season.
Its flowers are large -- 3 to 4 inches -- and hang in clusters from thick stems. Plant in early fall or late spring and enjoy 8 to 10 weeks of blooms.
8. Creeping Phlox
Creeping phlox produces a colorful spring carpet with soft pastel hues of pink, white, blue, and purple. Growing this spring blooming plant in Northeast Ohio over a rocky area or in tough soil conditions can give your commercial property a nearly carefree ground cover or cascading plant.
The fragrant, five-petal flowers stretch an inch across and attract butterflies and other pollinators. Post blooming, creeping phlox foliage remains green and attractive for the rest of the year before winter sets in. Plant in spring in loamy, well-drained soil after any frost danger has passed.
Where to Plant Spring Flowers
Now that you know the best spring flowers for commercial landscapes, you’re probably wondering where you should plant them.
Because these spring bloomers bring great color and variety after a pretty bland winter season for the senses, entrance ways are great spots to draw more attention to your property.
Another great spot is near signage to showcase your brand and create a great focal point.
Next, you should think about the common areas on your commercial sites. Employees, tenants, visitors, and shoppers love having outdoor areas to stop for lunch, a break, a place to rest or chat, or even a spot to relax. Putting in a spring bulb garden that brings color and wonderful aromas can elevate the desire for people on your site to enjoy these spaces.
Finally, planters can be packed with colorful spring annuals and be placed near entranceways or signage or to break up boring walkways, patios, or plazas.
Spring Can Be a Colorful Start to a New Growing Season
Who doesn’t love spring flowers in Northeast Ohio? After a dull winter with very little color, there is always something so invigorating about those first blooms we see as the weather heats up and the days grow longer.
You know you may want to celebrate the season on your commercial property with some spring color. But maybe you aren’t sure which flowers to choose, what colors go best together, or where you should focus your efforts. We get it. You have a lot on your plate, so it can be hard to stop what you’re doing and plan each season of floral color.
Let Turfscape give you a hand. Our experts have worked with color on commercial properties for years, so we know about this area’s unique weather conditions and what flowers perform best.
Want to learn more about what color can do for your commercial property in spring? Get started today with a free quote. We’ll review your options together so you can make a great choice.
Image Source: Daffodils, Hyacinth, Pansy, Forsythia, Witch Hazel, Lenten Rose, Creeping Phlox
