How exciting is the spring thaw? After a season of bundling up and sloshing around, watching bold combos make their way from the softening ground couldn’t feel more refreshing! As you prepare for another year of caring for your garden and finding enjoyment in all of its offerings, celebrate the beginning of new growth with these colorful combinations of bulbs and perennials. Here are some of spring’s most pleasing picks — shown as they bloom from earliest to mid-way through the season.

Daffodil and crocus are sure signs that the gray of winter is almost gone! But just in case the cold remains a bit longer than expected, the resilient pairing can even withstand a spring snow. Just plant the bulbs in fall and watch as they return — and multiply — year after year.

A – Daffodil (Narcissus ‘Peeping Tom’) Bulb; yellow in late winter to early spring; full sun to part shade; 10 to 16 in. tall, 3 to 6 in. wide; cold zones 4 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1

B – Crocus (Crocus ‘Ruby Giant’) Bulb; purple in late winter to early spring; full sun to part shade; 4 to 6 in. tall, 1 to 2 in. wide; cold zones 3 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1

Crimson Pygmy adds dimension to the low-growing combo of the Grecian windflower and grape hyacinth. An added bonus is that this barberry will rarely need pruning!

A – Barberry (Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea Crimson Pygmy (‘Atropurpurea Nana’)) Shrub; insignificant yellow in midspring; full sun to part shade; 18 to 24 in. tall, 24 to 30 in. wide; cold zones 4 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1

B – Grecian windflower (Anemone blanda ‘White Splendour’) Bulb; white in early to midspring; full sun to part shade; 3 to 6 in. tall and wide; cold zones 4 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1

C – Grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) Bulb; blue in early to midspring; full sun to part shade; 6 to 8 in. tall, 4 to 6 in. wide; cold zones 4 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1

Not only will Lenten rose last for weeks on end with the right amount of shade and cool weather, but the Evergreen perennial is deer- and rabbit-resistant as well as disease-free. The quick-spreading ‘Bronze Beauty’ bugleweed showcases Lenten roses’ height further, and when the bugleweed starts to take over, they’re perfect for dividing and sharing with friends.

A – Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) Evergreen perennial; rose-purple, pink or white in late winter to midspring; part to full shade; 18 to 24 in. tall, 24 to 30 in. wide; cold zones 4 to 9, heat zones 9 to 1

B – Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans ‘Bronze Beauty’) Semi-evergreen perennial ground cover; blue in mid- to late spring; part to full shade; 4 to 6 in. tall, spreading; cold zones 3 to 9, heat zones 9 to 1