It’s spring! The forsythias and redbuds have bloomed. The dogwoods, deutzias, spirea and serviceberry will follow. It’s time to bring these harbingers of spring into your landscape so you can enjoy their beauty and anticipation up close next year.
I will begin with forsythias, the brilliant yellow blooms that mark the coming of crabgrass and time to spread the crabgrass preventer. Large, old-fashioned varieties are beautiful but a space eater at 8-10 feet tall and wide. If smaller is better for you, there are smaller versions now available. Forsythia ‘Courtasol’ Gold Tide is one of these. At a height of only 1-2 feet and spread of 1-4 feet, it can be fit into a smaller landscape. Still a zone 5-8 and requiring full sun to part shade, it can be used as a cut flower. If pruning is needed, do so immediately after blooms fade, as they set their bloom buds during the summer.
The redbud tree is a beautiful a vibrant pink that shows throughout the woodlands in our area. Followed closely by serviceberry and dogwood, these understory trees general grow only 20-35 feet tall. The dogwood prefers to be tucked in under larger trees, where their white blooms stand out in their shade. Redbud and serviceberry can take full sun to part shade and add color to the landscape at a time when we are eagerly anticipating warm weather. All are native here.
A much overlooked small shrub is Deutzia gracilis “Nikko.†At 1-2 feet tall, it has arching branches and fragrant white blooms in April to May. This shrub prefers full sun to part shade and has no serious insect or disease problem. An added feature, it displays deep burgundy leaves in fall. Prune, if needed, after it blooms. Watch for unchecked spread as branch tips root where they arch to the ground. A new variety, “Duncan†Chardonnay Pearls, has lemon-lime leaves throughout the growing season. Both are hardy in zones 5-8.
A favorite old spirea is Bridal Wreath. As a child the blooms reminded me of a miniature white bride’s bouquet. At 4-8 feet tall and wide, it also takes up incredible space. Snowmound spirea is a bit smaller at 2-4 feet tall and wide, a good substitute for the white variety. These spireas should be pruned after flowers fade and are hardy in zones 3-8.
The spirea japonica, or pink spirea, has experienced a vast amount of hybridizing efforts in recent years, from Anthony Waterer to the relatively new Double Play series that extends their season by longer blooming or leaves of a distinctive color. A light shearing of the faded blooms can encourage even more re-blooming. Check this series out for its many varied features. Prune these spireas in late winter as they bloom on new wood. It is hardy in zones 4-8.
Finall, the peony. Actually a perennial that dies to the ground each winter, the peony displays very large blooms that range from white to pink to crimson and burgundy. They can be single or carnation type. Peonies are trouble-free plants with attractive foliage throughout the year. Trim out faded blooms. Plants should be planted with barely an inch of soil over growing tips, or they will not flower. Plant in full sun to part shade. It is generally hardy in zones 3-8.
Did you know there is another type of peony? Known as the tree peony, it is a deciduous shrub. Native to China and Tibet, they should not be cut back after frost. Minor pruning in fall to shape and cut out dead wood is all that is needed. Plant in an area for protection from strong winds. Tree peonies are long-lived and take several years to establish. They do not transplant easily, as they have a deep root system. Their flowers are large, from 6-8 inches, with flower colors ranging from white to pink, red and yellow. Flower forms can be single, semi-double and double. Foliage remains attractive through fall. These are hardy in zones 4-8.
So now is the time to invigorate your landscape by adding some of these beautiful and hardy plants to welcome spring next year.