It’s finally time. Head to the garden store and load up on early blooming perennials

The third week of February is a great time to make a run to your nearest nursery and load up on early blooming perennials.

It’s time to celebrate early spring by adding these three hardy plants that do well in our rainy Western Washington climate.

Hellebores

The stars of the early bloomers, hellebores will thrive in shade or part shade and are deer, slug and drought tolerant when planted properly.

Tip: Dig a planting hole 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep at least, loosening up the soil and adding organic matter. Carefully remove the hellebore from its nursery pot as the fleshy roots break off easily. Once planted, hellebores do not like to be moved or divided.

Pulmonaria or Lungwart

The hummingbirds will love you for adding this early flowering groundcover plant to the landscape.

Pulmonaria thrives in soil that has plenty of organic matter and some protection from the hot afternoon sun. The furry, spotted leaves are slug and deer resistant. The star-shaped blooms can change color from pink to blue with new orange and peach varieties.

Tip: After the flush of spring blooms, cut back your pulmonarias and they will resprout with fresh growth.

Snowdrops

You can find this flowering bulb already in bloom in pots and it will transplant easily into the garden. Snowdrop collecting has become a massive hobby in Great Britain as new varieties can sell for hundreds of dollars. Local nurseries carry the more common snowdrops that still dazzle with their creamy bell-shaped blooms.

Tip: The time to divide up your snowdrop bulbs and increase your supply is right after they finish flowering. Just dig a clump, pull apart the young bulbs and replant all over the garden. Snowdrop bulbs do especially well under the skirts of shrubs and in woodland gardens.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.

This story was originally published February 17, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "It’s finally time. Head to the garden store and load up on early blooming perennials."