After a long cold and gray winter, a colorful spring garden is a welcome sight. Bulbs, many species of shrubs and a few perennials can brighten up a garden long before there are even leaves on the trees.
Among the first plants to show color in the spring are bulbs. Crocus, tulips, daffodils and hyacinth are just a few bulbs which, if planted in the fall, begin to emerge as early as March. Planted in a lawn, in the flower garden or beneath a large shade tree, bulbs are a great way to kick off the gardening season. Some bulbs will last until the early perennials begin to bloom in May and June.
Early blooming trees and shrubs are another way to provide the garden with colorful flowers in early spring. The list of early blooming shrubs is long. In fact, in the middle of spring and early summer there are more shrubs in bloom than at any other time of year. Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia) is a popular old fashioned shrub which displays brilliant yellow flowers in March and April. Vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) is a deciduous, very early blooming shrub which produces fragrant yellow flower clusters. Include in your garden design a few evergreen shrubs.
In addition to bulbs and flowering shrubs there are a number of early blooming perennials which can add to the spring color. Many are suitable for the shade or part shade garden since they’re able to take advantage of the sun while it still reaches the ground beneath deciduous trees. Woodland gardens are often the most colorful landscapes in the spring since many native, shade tolerant flowers, such as trillium, bloom early in the year.
Iris is a great early blooming perennial suitable for the full sun garden while bleeding heart, a short lived yet stunning perennial with pink flowers, and columbine are both at home in the shade garden. Columbine is an easy to grow perennial which blooms in a variety of colors.
Many early blooming perennials, such as the showy poppy and lupine, die back to the ground soon after they flower so plan your flower garden accordingly. Include space for annuals and incorporate later blooming perennials so there‘s color all season long.
With a little forethought and creativity any garden can begin to show some much needed color as early as March.
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