Enjoying the Colors and Scents of the Spring Garden.
What a Spring we are having! Everything is up so early and the garden center is full of color: yellow Forsythia; fluffy pink Cherry blossoms; bursts of white petals from Star Magnolia; luscious deep reds, oranges and pinks of Tulips; bright yellows, whites and delicate pinks of Narcissus; blues, yellows, purples and pink ruffles of the happy faces of Pansies …dazzling shapes and color everywhere you look.
But it is not just the joyful myriad of colors that we see, but the intoxicating blend of scents that complete the experience. At first, it was the Hyacinth which wanted to dominate the senses with their headiness but as they die back other aromas have emerged. Many of the Pansies, Violas, and Primulas have a subtle but lovely intermingling fragrance. And as you walk through the garden this time of year, there are many more plants that give the garden an amazing scent.
The amazing array of form and colors of Tulips and Daffodils are mesmerizing. The captivating lily shaped Tulip ‘Pretty Woman’ is an interesting blend of red with fuchsia and green highlights. The way the light plays upon the shape and color of this tulip is truly lovely. And the Tulip ‘Princess Irene’ still reigns every year. Not only with her exquisite two toned orange/pink blend but it is one of the few tulips with fragrance. The flowers are large and long lasting making them idea for your garden beds. They make a good cut flower and will attract bees and hummingbirds. Have a look at her cousin the ‘Irene Parrot’ who is trying to steal the show by being both fringed and exquisitely beautiful.
For the woodland garden, no Spring is complete without the delightful Ribes sanquineum ‘Pulborough Scarlet’ (Flowering Currant). Once they bloom you know the hummingbirds are here. This low maintenance, easy care medium sized deciduous shrub has lobed aromatic leaves and 1-3” drooping clusters of small deep pink flowers. It prefers moist but well drained soil and part sun. Not only does it attract hummingbirds but butterflies during the summer and the berries in the fall attract the songbirds. Great fall color and grows 4feet by 4 feet.
One of the most versatile and hardy shrubs is the Osmanthus delavayi (Sweet Olive) which is a gorgeous evergreen shrub with tiny dark green leaves and small but profuse very fragrant tubular white flowers. It is very adaptable and flexible. It can be pruned to be a hedge or screen or can stand on its own. It prefers sun or part shade. Being evergreen it holds winter interest and is drought tolerant when established. Originally from China and introduce to France in 1890’s, this pest free shrub has been around for a long time and was given the Award of merit from the Royal Horticultural society in 1923. (5 feet)
It is difficult to resist the intoxicating fragrance of a Daphne. Daphne cneorum ‘Ruby Glow’ is a low growing evergreen shrub (6-12”by 12-18”). The abundant but small lobed bright pink flowers are very fragrant and attract bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden. Grow in full sun and do not move once planted. This Daphne is great for rockeries and usually flowers in April – May and often has additional blooms in the Summer. It prefers moist well drained soil and does not need pruning but doesn’t mind being lightly shaped after flowering. (Hardy to Zone 4) After blooming, apply a top dressing mix of peat moss and sand to help keep the roots cool.
A taller variety (2-3 feet) is the long blooming Daphne ‘Eternal Fragrance.’ An introduction from England, it has a profusion of blush pink clusters of flowers and a wonderful sweet fragrance. It blooms in the Spring and then again in Summer. It prefers partial to full sun and is a tidy shrub used in the landscape or for containers - treasured for its lasting beauty and fragrance.
The Viburnum ‘Juddii’ is stunning. A lovely compact shrub (6-8 feet) with showy semi snowball like flowers that start off pink in bud and then open to white. The fragrance is heavenly. This hardy low maintenance plant loves full sun to part shade and is great as a hedge, specimen or in the border. It attracts butterflies, is drought tolerant and has wonderful purple fall color with black fruit.
An all-round good landscape shrub is the popular Pieris ‘Forest flames’. This compact evergreen shrub has leathery dark green leaves and the new growth is brightly colored red when young. The flowers are fragrant tassel-like clusters of pink buds that open to white. It will grow between 5-7 feet and can be used in hedges or in the mixed border. It attracts bees but is deer resistant - an easy care award winning dependable shrub.
For the Spring Trellis/Arbour try the amazing and romantic looking Wisteria. When this plant is mature, billowing cascades of fragrant blossoms will drape over any strong structure you give it. The Wisteria sinensis ‘Blue Sapphire’ has showy mauve blue flowers in late Spring to early Summer with an exquisitely delicate fragrance. The new growth has a wonderful bronze color. Wisterias are vigorous climbers so give it lots of room to grow and a sturdy structure. It prefers full sun and moist well drained soil. Wisterias attract butterflies and are deer resistant. Prune in late winter to shape and lightly trim after flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers.
The Spring blooming evergreen Clematis Armandii has wonderful white fragrant flowers and makes a lovely addition to any part shade trellis. Shelter it from harsh winds and this beauty will reward you with a marvelous fragrance in the Spring.
There are many more Spring delights to see and smell. Get out there and enjoy it while it lasts. You will be glad you did.
What a Spring we are having! Everything is up so early and the garden center is full of color: yellow Forsythia; fluffy pink Cherry blossoms; bursts of white petals from Star Magnolia; luscious deep reds, oranges and pinks of Tulips; bright yellows, whites and delicate pinks of Narcissus; blues, yellows, purples and pink ruffles of the happy faces of Pansies …dazzling shapes and color everywhere you look.
But it is not just the joyful myriad of colors that we see, but the intoxicating blend of scents that complete the experience. At first, it was the Hyacinth which wanted to dominate the senses with their headiness but as they die back other aromas have emerged. Many of the Pansies, Violas, and Primulas have a subtle but lovely intermingling fragrance. And as you walk through the garden this time of year, there are many more plants that give the garden an amazing scent.
The amazing array of form and colors of Tulips and Daffodils are mesmerizing. The captivating lily shaped Tulip ‘Pretty Woman’ is an interesting blend of red with fuchsia and green highlights. The way the light plays upon the shape and color of this tulip is truly lovely. And the Tulip ‘Princess Irene’ still reigns every year. Not only with her exquisite two toned orange/pink blend but it is one of the few tulips with fragrance. The flowers are large and long lasting making them idea for your garden beds. They make a good cut flower and will attract bees and hummingbirds. Have a look at her cousin the ‘Irene Parrot’ who is trying to steal the show by being both fringed and exquisitely beautiful.
For the woodland garden, no Spring is complete without the delightful Ribes sanquineum ‘Pulborough Scarlet’ (Flowering Currant). Once they bloom you know the hummingbirds are here. This low maintenance, easy care medium sized deciduous shrub has lobed aromatic leaves and 1-3” drooping clusters of small deep pink flowers. It prefers moist but well drained soil and part sun. Not only does it attract hummingbirds but butterflies during the summer and the berries in the fall attract the songbirds. Great fall color and grows 4feet by 4 feet.
One of the most versatile and hardy shrubs is the Osmanthus delavayi (Sweet Olive) which is a gorgeous evergreen shrub with tiny dark green leaves and small but profuse very fragrant tubular white flowers. It is very adaptable and flexible. It can be pruned to be a hedge or screen or can stand on its own. It prefers sun or part shade. Being evergreen it holds winter interest and is drought tolerant when established. Originally from China and introduce to France in 1890’s, this pest free shrub has been around for a long time and was given the Award of merit from the Royal Horticultural society in 1923. (5 feet)
It is difficult to resist the intoxicating fragrance of a Daphne. Daphne cneorum ‘Ruby Glow’ is a low growing evergreen shrub (6-12”by 12-18”). The abundant but small lobed bright pink flowers are very fragrant and attract bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden. Grow in full sun and do not move once planted. This Daphne is great for rockeries and usually flowers in April – May and often has additional blooms in the Summer. It prefers moist well drained soil and does not need pruning but doesn’t mind being lightly shaped after flowering. (Hardy to Zone 4) After blooming, apply a top dressing mix of peat moss and sand to help keep the roots cool.
A taller variety (2-3 feet) is the long blooming Daphne ‘Eternal Fragrance.’ An introduction from England, it has a profusion of blush pink clusters of flowers and a wonderful sweet fragrance. It blooms in the Spring and then again in Summer. It prefers partial to full sun and is a tidy shrub used in the landscape or for containers - treasured for its lasting beauty and fragrance.
The Viburnum ‘Juddii’ is stunning. A lovely compact shrub (6-8 feet) with showy semi snowball like flowers that start off pink in bud and then open to white. The fragrance is heavenly. This hardy low maintenance plant loves full sun to part shade and is great as a hedge, specimen or in the border. It attracts butterflies, is drought tolerant and has wonderful purple fall color with black fruit.
An all-round good landscape shrub is the popular Pieris ‘Forest flames’. This compact evergreen shrub has leathery dark green leaves and the new growth is brightly colored red when young. The flowers are fragrant tassel-like clusters of pink buds that open to white. It will grow between 5-7 feet and can be used in hedges or in the mixed border. It attracts bees but is deer resistant - an easy care award winning dependable shrub.
For the Spring Trellis/Arbour try the amazing and romantic looking Wisteria. When this plant is mature, billowing cascades of fragrant blossoms will drape over any strong structure you give it. The Wisteria sinensis ‘Blue Sapphire’ has showy mauve blue flowers in late Spring to early Summer with an exquisitely delicate fragrance. The new growth has a wonderful bronze color. Wisterias are vigorous climbers so give it lots of room to grow and a sturdy structure. It prefers full sun and moist well drained soil. Wisterias attract butterflies and are deer resistant. Prune in late winter to shape and lightly trim after flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers.
The Spring blooming evergreen Clematis Armandii has wonderful white fragrant flowers and makes a lovely addition to any part shade trellis. Shelter it from harsh winds and this beauty will reward you with a marvelous fragrance in the Spring.
There are many more Spring delights to see and smell. Get out there and enjoy it while it lasts. You will be glad you did.
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