Mother Nature sure has been kind to gardeners this season. The early garden blooms are abundant and full of color. In my travels around the area these past 3 weeks, I have found the Forsythia to be glorious this year. What a treat to see full blooms throughout the shrubs as opposed to many years of small yellow rings @ the bases. The shrubs in Spa State Park have never looked this good. In many of the gardens I service this is the first season I have seen full shrub blooms. Historically I have steered away from recommending this early garden bloomer, due to it’s minimal performance. But this year….was a banner one for the early yellow shrub. It really gives a great contrast of color to the emerging landscape. My favorite early bloom scented tree, the Star Magnolia is incredibly beautiful this year….full of blossoms and richly scented. The graceful white flowers overlook the background of my gardens. I see it each morning out my window.
Even my early blooming perennials are performing well this spring. 
My Heather is just a stunning little pop up in the garden. This finely textured, low growing plant is an eye catcher this season. The colors are brilliant and as with the forsythia, blooms are abundant. Although it is not used in many gardens in the area….it has been a reliable performer in my sun specific early garden blooms over the years. A shade performer for early garden bloom is the Bergenia plant. 
This bloom is just starting to emerge. The waxy, thick leaves give some nice background to the delicate pink flowers. This is on of my “CSS Attitude plants”. And finally this week my Helebore bloomed! This is definitely on the top of my “CSS Attitude” plant list for early garden bloom. Small…but reliable, this little plant had been neglected in one of my areas for many years. I rediscovered it in the Fall…transplanted to a space I can see and enjoy early spring. What a treat!
After a long winter early spring blooms give gardeners the hope and energy to begin their new season. To get the most of your early garden blooms consider the following:
- Select a location where they will be seen every day, entries, sidewalks or even the kitchen window, where we all spend time throughout the day.
- Surround the plant with later blooming perennials to continue the seasonal dance. The leaves can be a great addition to later blooms
- Get outdoors and enjoy. Have your morning coffee, evening glass of wine nearby, enjoy the sights and the scents.
Want to learn more about plants with “CSS Attitude” and all season gardens? Join me at my Dig into Gardening Day next Saturday, May 6th @ Longfellows Hotel and Conference Center. Visit my website http://www.gardengoddesssenseandsustainability.com for more information, we are still accepting registrations.
