Ontario Perennial Bloom Times

The joy of the perennial garden is that it changes with the seasons. Embrace the joy of delicate spring blooms that give way to vibrant summer colours that culminate in rich autumn hues. If you’ve planned your gardens right, there’s always the next bloom to look forward to, and something new to get excited about around the corner. 

Perennial Garden Planning

Not sure where to start? We’ve put together an Ontario Perennial Bloom Chart that can serve as your go-to resource for planning and organizing your garden to include 4 seasons of interest. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting your horticultural journey, we hope this chart will be your trusty companion as you build towards your dream garden. Click here to download as a PDF.

Bloom Times in Ontario

Most bloom times are listed in seasons, and that’s because bloom times are always approximate. Things like yearly weather patterns, climate change, garden micro-climates and plant cultivars/varieties can cause a shift in the calendar date approximations. But on average, here are the dates associated with seasonal timelines for Ontario: 

Early Spring: Generally, early spring in Ontario spans from late March to mid-April. This period is characterized by the arrival of milder temperatures and the gradual melting of winter snow.

Mid Spring: Mid spring typically occurs from mid-April to mid-May in Ontario. During this time, temperatures continue to rise, and trees and flowers begin to blossom.

Late Spring: Late spring in Ontario typically falls between mid-May and late June. By this time, the weather is generally warmer, and the landscape is fully in bloom.

Early Summer: Early summer in Ontario usually encompasses the period from late June to mid-July. This is when the temperatures are consistently warm, and summer activities are in full swing.

Mid Summer: Mid-summer generally occurs from mid-July to mid-August in Ontario. This period is characterized by the peak of summer heat, long daylight hours, and less rainfall.

Late Summer: Late summer in Ontario usually falls between mid-August and late September. The weather starts to cool down slightly, but it still remains relatively warm.

Early Fall: Early fall, also known as autumn, typically begins in late September and extends to mid-October in Ontario. This is when the foliage starts changing colors, and temperatures gradually drop, especially overnight temps.

Late Fall: Late fall usually encompasses the period from mid-October to late November in Ontario. The temperatures continue to decrease, and trees lose their leaves as the region transitions into winter.

Winter: It’s pretty obvious, but winter is typically December, January and February when the ground is frozen and daylight hours are at their shortest. 

Tips for Planning a Perennial Flower Garden

It might seem a bit daunting to jump in and create a perennial garden when you’re just starting out – so here are a few of our top tips to consider when designing a perennial garden: 

1. Say Cheese! Take photos of your garden every few weeks from spring through to fall. This will help you look back over the year to see what gaps you might need to fill in terms of bloom time, or spaces that need to be revamped. 
2. Be Patient! Gardens are never really quite finished. As plants mature the sun conditions might change, plants might get too big for their location, you could choose to incorporate more native plants into the garden, etc. Most gardens will start to hit their stride about 3 years after being planted. 
3. The More the Merrier! Larger groupings of plants look more cohesive in a garden along with repeating multiple groupings of the same plants. Too many one-off selections can look a little chaotic to the eye. 
4. It’s Not Over Because it’s Winter! Include some plants that will provide winter interest like grasses, trees, shrubs or evergreens and/or selections with interesting seed heads like milkweed, coneflowers or hydrangea to ensure interest during dormant seasons.
5. Remember Sleep, Creep, Leap! Perennials will take time to develop to their full potential in the garden, so don’t crowd them in. Year 1 they’re typically sleeping and just getting their roots settled, year 2 is when you will see a bit more growth, and year 3 is when they really take off and are close to reaching their full and beautiful potential! 
6. Annuals & Perennials are Friends! We know we’re talking about perennials here (click here if you’re not sure of the difference!), but don’t be afraid to add some annuals for consistent colour that can last all season long, fill in gaps between smaller perennials while they grow (they’re sleeping or creeping still), or give you an opportunity to test out adding new colours to your garden before committing to a perennial in that colour. 

Our last tip is come and visit us! Sometimes the best place to start is grabbing a Berry Latte and cruising the greenhouse to see what type of plants you’re drawn to, and what you think is pretty. That’s a great place to start any perennial garden design. Keep in mind that when you’re shopping at greenhouses, some plants can be blooming sooner or later at the garden centre than what they would normally be blooming when outside in your garden so you can always double check the tags.