Everyone longs for fragrant early spring blossoms – Snapdragons, Bells of Ireland, Sweet Peas, Sweet Williams, and other beauties. But few grow them successfully in their own gardens because they haven’t learned the simple cool-weather techniques that make it possible.

Expert flower grower Lisa Mason Zeigler introduces us to the long-blooming stars of the spring garden, the hardy annuals – those flowers that thrive when they are planted during cool conditions (instead of waiting until the warmth of spring).

Forget “Some Like It Hot,” she advises, and give them a cool start. Plant them in the right spot at the right time, nestle their roots deep into rich organic soil, and stand back. In no time at all, you’ll have a low-maintenance, vibrant spring flower garden that keeps on blooming when other annuals are dead and gone.