Celebrating Spring Blossoms
I just finished walking about the garden. It’s alive with delightful surprises. Forcing their way out of the ground are clumps of little leaves and stems - potential garden charmers. Winter silhouettes of the trees and bushes are slowly being clothed with millions of bursting, plump, little buds. But the true signs of spring are those tough, impatient little fellows that can’t wait another moment to show their colors - you know the characters: February daphne, forsythia, primrose, crocus, pulmonaria, scilla and miniature iris. Even though their feet may be smothered in the brown tattered leaves of fall, their blossoms and fragrance fill our gardens with the promise of spring.
February Daphne (Daphne mezereum): In our area, it’s a little misleading to call this plant a February daphne. Around here it’s more like an April daphne, for that’s when it blooms. And oh, what a fragrance. This upright, deciduous little shrub sets tight clusters of rosy pink flowers along barren stems. An established shrub will easily fill the garden air with the scent of jasmine.
All daphne are fussy fellows. I have read where this plant will die for no apparent reason, so planting it in a prominent spot in the garden is not recommended.
They require well-drained soil. They simply cannot tolerate wet feet. In fact, they would rather be a little on the dry side than sit around in moist soil. With frozen wet ground in the winter and soggy soil in the spring, you may understand why daphne is a borderline plant for our area. Plant them on berms or mounds of soil created with sandy loam. This will help ensure good drainage. They also love the sun, but need protection from bitter winters.
Forsythia: This bright yellow mass of twigs and branches has been blooming since early March, and is still going strong. It’s definitely one of the first hailers of spring.
Forsythia comes in many forms - dwarf and compact, upright and spreading or low and spreading. Since it sets its flower buds on the previous year’s growth, pruning is not recommended until right after it’s finished blooming. However, if pruning is tackled correctly, it can be handled at anytime.
Never give forsythia a butch haircut. The best procedure is to remove one-third of the oldest growth down to the ground. This stimulates new growth which will develop from the base of the plant. Long straggly stems can be nipped back a tad. Pruned branches can find a home in floral bouquets.
Forsythia will do well in full sun or partial shade. They will grow in dense shade, but usually won’t produce flowers. They are easy to transplant, they will grow in most any soil and they are on the drought-resistant side.
Primrose: The little fellows we purchased at the supermarket can be planted outside after they have been hardened a bit. This simply means setting them outside in the light for a few hours at a time each day, until we can eventually leave them out overnight. Even though the supermarket variety can be planted outside, they are not considered hardy for our area. If you like this particular primrose, look for members of the Wanda series at our local nurseries. They’re hardy and very showy.
Not all primrose are short little plants with single bright flowers. There are dozens of exquisite varieties with very different flowers, leaves and growth habits to choose from. One of my favorites is primula denticulata, a drumstick primrose from the Himalayas. Held on strong stalks above a rosette of green leaves, the flowers are delicately arranged in tight balls. It is positively smashing.
Pulmonaria: This delicate spring bloomer is sometimes called a Lungwort. I prefer pulmonaria or Bethlehem sage. The delicate nodding five-petal flowers rest on leaves that can be solid green or spotted silver. Nestled in with bleeding heart, iris, and daffodils, these showy characters add a bit of charm to the shady areas.
Oh, how I love this time of year. And what’s truly exciting - these fellows are only the appetizers to a season-long menu filled with delicious treats.
For the Friends of Manito: Recycle your unused flower pots and flats this weekend. Just drop them off between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday or Sunday at the Tekoa entrance of Manito Park.
The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review