Spring flowers: which ones and when?

• Daffodils and narcissus: the yellow of renewal, March to April, with a light scent.

• Hyacinths and grape hyacinths: clusters of tiny bells in blue, pink or white. Hyacinths are very fragrant.

• Tulips: April to May in the garden, in every color and shape.

• Anemones: March to June depending on the variety, with a dark center and bold petals.

• Flowering trees: yellow forsythia, magnolia, then cherry trees.

• Lilac: fragrant clusters in mauve or white.

• Lily of the valley: at the very start of the month, small and highly fragrant.

• Iris: May to June, from deep blue to purple.

• Peony: it arrives in May, round and lush. It is the great flower of late spring.

• Columbine and forget-me-not: for the cooler corners of the garden.

May is also the month of Mother's Day, on the second Sunday in Switzerland. To choose that bouquet, read which bouquet to give for Mother's Day.

Not every garden flower works in a vase. The ones you find most often in spring bouquets are tulips, ranunculus, anemones, narcissus and mimosa, then lilac and peonies.

A few simple steps help them last.

• Tulips: they keep growing in the vase and turn toward the light. Use little water and give the stems a clean cut every two days.

• Narcissus: their sap harms other flowers. Leave them alone in water for a few hours before mixing them.

• Lilac: cut the stems at an angle and remove most of the leaves, which drink the water meant for the flowers.

• Peonies: bought in bud, they open within two or three days.

Our seasonal bouquets follow these deliveries; the exact varieties depend on what arrives at our workshop in Vernier each week.

Spring bulbs are planted in fall, from September to November: crocuses, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and grape hyacinths. In a window box, layer them, the largest at the bottom, for blooms from March through May.

In early spring, fill in with plants already in flower that can handle the last cold snaps: pansies, primroses, forget-me-nots or hellebores. For scent, a few potted hyacinths by the balcony door are enough.

Think about sunlight: tulips and crocuses love sun, while primroses and forget-me-nots prefer partial shade.

Spring has several occasions for giving flowers.

• International Women's Day, March 8: see which flowers to give on March 8.

• Easter: a yellow and white bouquet with narcissus or tulips for the holiday table.

• Mother's Day, in May: read flowers for Mother's Day.

• A spring birthday: a bouquet of tulips or ranunculus. See our birthday flowers.

We deliver anywhere in Switzerland Tuesday to Saturday for orders placed before 4 p.m. the day before, and the same day in the canton of Geneva for orders placed before 2 p.m., Monday to Saturday.