09:52 - 22 February 2010
There’s a certain magic created in the garden by early spring flowers. It’s a sign that the garden is coming alive again after the long and cold winter. Every flower that opens is a treasure early in the season and something to admire, especially when much of the garden is still bare and asleep.
When the flower buds of spring bulbs start to swell and take on colour it won’t be long before the whole display is in full swing and the drama of the flower border will unfold.
Colourful Containers
Groups of spring containers can really lift your spirits in early spring. Planting a container is a quick and easy weekend project that will bring years of enjoyment. Choose containers that complement each other and plant up some of them with spring flowering bulbs for a stunning spring display but complement these with a collection of shrubs and evergreen plants that will add further colour interest and texture.
Perfumed Plants
There’s little more inspiring on an early spring morning to catch the scent of a flowering plant as you pass by. Many early flowering shrubs use perfume to attract the few pollinating insects that are braving the cold weather. For the best effect spread your fragrant plants around, or choose ones that flower at different times. If you plant them together or their flowering overlaps their perfume will mingle and you will lose the effect. Instead carefully choose one or two scented shrubs and plant them near a garden seat or beside a garden path where you will catch a waft of their fragrance as you pass by. Good plants to choose include the spicy scent of witch-hazel (Hamamelis sp), Christmas box (Sarcococca confusa), Mahonia japonica or the sweet scent of winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima). Most of these plants start flowering any time from January and continue flowering through February and into March. There’s something quite brave about these harbingers of spring that lift the spirit and brighten the garden.
Lovely Leaves
You don’t need to rely on flowers to create colour and interest in pots and containers. You can also chose evergreen plants that have dramatic foliage such as phormiums, grasses and cordylines. These plants make excellent specimen plants in planters, but they can also be successfully used to complement spring bulbs such as early daffodils and tulips. Later in the season when the bulbs have finished flowering you can replace them with vibrant summer bedding. Choose contrasting hot colours such as yellow, orange and red for striking results.
Acid Lovers
For stunning spring colour plant a rhododendron in the garden. These fantastic flowering shrubs will reliably perform year after year. Rhododendrons need acid soil to thrive and though they may survive in an alkaline soil they will not perform to their full potential. Dwarf rhododendrons look fantastic in pots and containers. They also make wonderful gifts for gardeners. A rich red variety would make a lovely gift for a loved one. When planting acid loving plants like rhododendrons use a dedicated ericaceous compost that is specially formulated to create the right acidic conditions for your ericaceous plants and feed with an ericaceous plant food.
