We have less than a week until spring officially starts.

And spring means flowers!

Charles Owen, the city’s horticulturist, wouldn’t give up this year’s theme for the flowers around town, but he did agree to give a few little previews of what residents can look forward to.

Owen said the city works with some consultants at Classic Garden Design who keep track of the trendiest color combinations. They choose something a bit different every year, and residents will have to wait until the 10,000 plants bloom in June to see what this year’s theme is. All Owen would say is that it won’t be last year’s red, white and blue.

The flower season will kick off at the very beginning of April with pansies in the downtown planters, courtesy of the Brecksville Beautification Committee, Owen said. And by Memorial Day, the city will fill its flowerbeds with a variety of plants. Some of the most common plants this year will be coleus, dahlias, milkweed, snapdragons and zinnias.

I know there are a lot of gardeners in Brecksville, so take a few minutes and join the conversation in the comments! What are your favorite type of flowers and why? What flowers are you planning for your gardens this year?