Globemaster alliums bloom the latest of the alliums I have, and I always appreciate their bloom time - it seems to come right when the garden desperately needs it.

Allium aflatunense 'Purple Sensation' are great and bloom earlier than 'Globemaster.'

Walker's Low catmint is a relatively early bloomer and usually blooms with the roses. (But so does the salvia here, at least 'May Night' and "Caradonna.')

Other possibilities:
Persicaria Polymorpha
early clematis
Rodgersia
Digitalis

Everything late here but blooming now - hemerocallis asphodelus, verbascums, baptisia, nepeta, aquilegias, geums, campanulas, oriental poppies (and other poppies such as Spanish, long-headed, Iceland, miyabeanum), hardy geraniums (many), tanacetum/pyrethrum, alchemilla, erodium, linaria, dianthus, knautia, paeonia, aconitum,

While there are a fair number of plants blooming out there, what it seems you are missing is hardy geraniums. East Friesland salvia is starting, as is Hemerocallis flava (lemon lily), so there are early bloomers of other types too.

bearded iris haven't been mentioned yet -- mine bloom after the daffs and before the daylilies.

I have heliopsis (false sunflower) and they're just starting to bloom now. I have new phlox blue paradise blooming but that may be due to it being its first year out of a greenhouse.... I thought it'd be later than that.
I have a few pink guaras that are blooming now (and have been since spring).

Here I have in their final few days of blooming peonies, columbine, Clematis 'HF Young', Allium 'Mt. Everest' (or perhaps A. White Giant'), Phlox divaricata and bearded irises.

Blooming already for at least a week with more time to bloom are Siberian irises, Clematis 'Arabella' and C. 'Gravetye Beauty', Campanula poscharskyana 'Blue Waterfall', roses, Nepeta, Veronica 'Blue Lake', Lonicera sempervirens 'Major Wheeler', several Geraniums, Heuchera, Allium 'Globemaster', and Baptisia 'Carolina Moonlight' and B. 'Purple Haze'.

Amsonia blue ice. Great plant will post a pic later.

The slowest Forums on GW is the foliage forum and Huechera. Those two forums could be so helpful with color in the garden. Remember.....flowers are fleeting foliage is all season.

I buy as many colorful foliage perennials, and bushes that I can find.

That said....After my spring bulbs...I have early blooming mini iris, these iris start to bloom before the last Spring bulbs are finished. Then Bearded Iris, next to bloom are the Japanese and Siberian and in addition that suggestions already mentioned by other responders.

While I'll add my own voice to endorse those things already mentioned, I'll add one that's not shown up so far. Trollius/globeflower is blooming now and while it's golden blooms aren't particularly plentiful, they are a welcome sight each year.

Another that isn't mentioned in previous posts is Lychnis coronaria/rose campion. It's reputed to be a rampant self-seeder but I've not seen that in my own experience. I love the magenta blooms atop silvery, velvety foliage.

Penstemon 'Husker Red' is really putting on a show just at the moment where I am and is quite a lovely addition given the flowers are plentiful & white on strong stems while the foliage is a dark red. Once it's finished blooming, the foliage remains a good color contrast throughout the season.

Persicaria virginiana/Virginia knotweed is a colorful & unusual foliage plant that isn't too widely used but it's been reliably perennial in my garden the past few years. Its habit makes a good contrast to other foliage perennials.

Just FYI - I grew all of the above perennials for free via the Winter Sowing method so they fit as easily into my gardening budget as they did into my various garden beds.

Nepeta is just finishing up with itâÂÂs first flush of bloom and is flat on the ground from all the rain weâÂÂve had. It was pretty for a couple of weeks. ItâÂÂs time to cut it back for a second flush. I think there is a new variety of âÂÂNepetaâ that is supposed to stay more upright and have continuous bloom so you donâÂÂt have to cut it for a second flush, but I forget the name.

California Poppy has been blooming for a few weeks.

Baptisia is already setting seed pods.

Iris have gone by, especially quickly with the rain and are ready to deadhead.

A few Clematis, âÂÂDuchess of EdinburghâÂÂ, âÂÂBlue Angelâ and âÂÂDuchess of AlbanyâÂÂ

Honeysuckle Vines

Penstemons been blooming for a little more than a week. IâÂÂve had other penstemon that disappeared. They are not always long lasting.

Verbascum has been blooming for a couple of weeks.

First Heliopsis and Echinacea just starting to open here.

Tiarellas, Epimedium, Lunaria and Bleeding Heart with Columbine are all finished too.

Peonies (there are early, mid, and late bloomers)
Siberian Iris
Salvia
Catmint
Stachys (betony)
Coralbells
Geraniums (hardy types)
Roses

Continuing with marquest's theme of using plants with colored foliage to bridge all of the awkward bloom gaps- tancenetum Ilsa Gold, weigelia My Monet, sedums Purple Emperor, Picolette & Autumn Charm.

I have a siberian iris, I forgot about it. It didn't flower this year-then again, neither did all but one dutch iris. I got them all last season, so I guess I'll wait another year to see what colors they are, lol.

Also in the non-blooming catagory is my only Huechera. This is year #2 for it and it didn't bloom last year either. I got it as a humminbird plant, and instead I have a foliage plant! (it's Melting Fire I believe). I would have a bed of them instead of one of the hosta beds I have, but they aren't as popular and hence more $$ (I got a bunch of hosta free via divisions and people wanting to get rid of them).

My baptisita is done, and the lupine is still flowering but I can't put them in the main bed due to wind :(

I have two honeysuckle-Major Wheeler and Goldflame, but I haven't space for climbers in the main bed. Which also excludes clematis (I have a purple that's blooming, no idea of the variety, it was a freebie).

Are there non-flopping no ant attracting peonies?? I love the look when they aren't on the ground. They would need to go back in the bed a little so staking would be a pain (trying not to step on anything else). I have garden junk, but not in this bed, so the seatless chair idea won't work :(

I forgot to mention this is a mostly sunny bed, and it's a cottage style with no space between plants, so floppers don't work too well (I do have some spiderwort in another bed that was here and it keeps flopping all over the phlox next to it).

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I've been thinking about rose campion...I passed on it because of the silvery foliage (I can't stand lambs ear or dusty miller) but maybe it's time to give it another look.