Five spring perennials for April

When choosing your plants, check that they're well suited to the conditions in your garden. If you're in a shady spot, there are many beautiful shade-loving perennials to choose from. Use our handy Plant Finder to sort by many other criteria including soil type, size and value to wildlife.

• What to plant in April

Browse our pick of perennials for April flowers, below.

Candelabra primulas

Candelabra primulas have pretty blooms set in tiers, hence their common name. Primula beesiana has vivid violet blooms with a yellow centre, while 'Inverewe' has intense orange flowers and silvery stems. Moist, shady areas are ideal. Here's how to grow candelabra primulas from seed.

Epimediums

These shade-lovers are perfect for growing beneath deciduous trees, where they make useful groundcover plants. From April to June, they bear airy, star-shaped flowers. 'Amber Queen' has lovely warm yellow blooms while those of 'Pink Champagne' are a delicate pink. Grow epimediums in moist, well-drained soil in dappled shade.

Auriculas

Bright and breezy, auricula cultivars are available in various colours, from green-edged show varieties, to the multi-headed, sweetly scented border varieties. They're versatile too, being suited to pots and containers, rock gardens and woodland borders, in light dappled shade.

Cowslips

One of our native primulas, the cowslip (Primula veris) is a pretty and easy plant to grow. Attractive mounds of foliage give rise to lemony yellow flowers that last from April to May. Try planting in a window box with wood anemones or in a bee-friendly spring container.

Euphorbias

With pillars of zesty green flowers, euphorbias never fail to impress. Many varieties, such as Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea' will thrive in poor, dry soils. For something more architectural, try growing Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii.