Has this eternal winter got you itching to get your garden in gear? Try planting ranunculus—a spring gardener's favourite. Photography by The Greenery Nursery, some rights reserved.

It's never too early to start planning your garden.

I know this is hard to believe, especially considering that as I write this, the view from my window is obscured by those blasted white flakes... But that tumultuous transition from winter to spring is something that gardeners always have to take into account, warns Denis Flanagan, public relations manager for Landscape Ontario.

"Due to the unpredictable nature of spring weather we usually experience in Ontario, gardeners need to ensure they're choosing plants for their gardens that can sustain the elements," he says.

Here are Flanagan's best-bets for early spring planting:

1. Ranunculus

"Ranunculus performs well when it has six weeks of cool weather to sprout, grow and bloom, making it ideal for early spring gardeners," Flanagan says. (Full sun.)

 

2. Pansies

 "Pansies are ideal flowers for your garden in early spring, as they flourish in cooler weather," says Flanagan. "Seedlings may be planted outside when temperatures are in the 60s and will tolerate nighttime temperatures in the 40s." (Full sun to partial shade.)

 

3. Primula

"Most species of primula want moist, rich soil and a cool location," Flanagan says. "These are also ideal for eager gardeners, as newly-purchased plants can be set into the garden in early spring." (Light shade.)

 

4. Gladiolus

"Gladiolus are resilient flowers, and their bulbs can be planted now even though it is still cool," he says. (Full sun.)