Late winter into early spring is when we crave fresh growth, a bit of color…some sign that spring is really returning!! Swelling buds on Pussy Willow and dainty Snowdrop blooms – which might be overlooked or scoffed at if amongst the lushness of summer plant life – bring excitement, praise and hope! These are soon followed by bolder displays, as the likes of Forsythia, Tulips, Magnolias and more burst into bloom and cement our certainty of spring’s return!
If you’d like to indulge in some of this excitement, look around your neighborhood and local parks this spring to note which plants catch your eye. Snap their portraits with your smart phone or camera, then seek them out at your local nursery to plant in your own yard as personal mood boosters come next spring!
Here’s a short list to spark your imagination:
Perennial Flowers (can be planted spring through autumn)
- Anemone/Windflower
- Brunnera
- Hellebore
- Primrose
Flowering Bulbs (should be planted in autumn)
- Hyacinth
- Snowdrops
- Tulips
- Narcissus sp.
- Crocus
Flowering Shrubs & Trees (can be planted spring through autumn)
- Dogwood
- Forsythia
- Lilacs
- Magnolias
- Pussy Willow (the fuzzy catkins are flowers)
- Flowering Quince
- Redbud
- Rhododendrons & Azaleas
- Serviceberry/Juneberry
- Witch Hazel
- Winter Daphne
