Iris reticulata ‘J.S Dijt’ – A fairly easy to find dwarf iris with deep purple petals and bright yellow (and white) accents on the falls. Blooming in early spring, this is a great companion plant for yellow snow crocus and it prefers part to full sun. ‘J.S. Dijt’ is deer resistant and works well in rockeries. Growing to 6″ high, the flowers usually appear before the leaves. Hardy to zone 5.
Tulipa tarda (syn. Tulipa dasystemon) – This botanical or species tulip is quite easy to grow and only gets better with time. The star-shaped blooms appear in early spring and are a bright yellow with cream or white tips. This Central Asian native does require well-drained soils and prefers full sun. Tulipa tarda grows 4 to 6″ tall and is hardy to zone 4.
Crocus tommasinianus – A lovely species crocus native to eastern Europe with variable blooms of deep reddish-purple to pale lilac-mauve. These emerge rather early, flowering from late winter into early spring. This Award of Garden Merit winner looks best when planted in mass drifts or bouquets. It readily self-seeds and grows 3 to 4″ high. Hardy to zone 3.
Tulipa pulchella ‘Eastern Star’ (syn. Tulipa humilis ‘Eastern Star’) – Another of the species or botanical tulips that naturalizes well and can even be grown in containers. The starry magenta-pink flowers have bright yellow centres and appear in early to mid spring. Given its small stature (6″ tall), it is important to plant these near walkways or paths for viewing. Hardy to zone 4.
Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ – This is probably the most vigorous of the Trout Lilies or Dog’s-Tooth Violets, which is why it is an Award of Garden Merit winner. ‘Pagoda’ bears recurved yellow flowers over waxy green foliage with light mottling. This hybrid has E. tuolumnense as one of its parents (the other is contested) and it prefers part to full shade. Grows 6-14″ tall and hardy to zone 5.
Mike's Garden Top 5 Plants 