Shopping-List Plants for the Mid-Atlantic

If you’ve run into a garden rut, we’ve got you covered. It’s time to start planning for your first trip to the local nursery or garden center. What plants will you need for a new garden area? Are you noticing a lack of excitement or color outside (we call this the midspring slump)? Just itching for an exciting new addition to a well-established bed? Now is the time to make a list of the perennials, shrubs, and/or trees that will fill those needs.

To help you make the best choices, we’ve asked regional garden experts to tell us what plants are on their spring shopping lists. These plants serve a range of purposes in the garden, but all are region-specific stars. From out-of-this-world flowers to show-stopping foliage and everything in-between, discover fantastic plants that would be a welcome addition to any garden in the region.

Find great shopping-list plants for the Mid-Atlantic below, and check out this comprehensive collection of articles to discover more springtime planting and planning inspiration.

Name: Narcissus ‘Xit’

Zones: 3–8

Size: 4 to 6 inches tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Native range: Hybrid

‘Xit’ is one of my favorite daffodils for naturalizing. The growth is not too vigorous, which is favorable in a meadow or minimally mown lawn; unlike some other daffodils, it won’t quickly grow into a dense clump, creating unsightly, floppy foliage after flowering. With delicate, cool white flowers, this variety brings elegance to a spring design and pairs well with other soft, seasonal colors. The outer petals are rounded behind a demure open-cup center with a blushed green eye. This daffodil looks great up close in a container or grown en masse, where it gives the impression