In the spring, while trees and shrubs are still showing their pale green new growth, the early border generally consists of colorful bulbs and a few early blooming perennials against a backdrop of green foliage and brown earth. Spring bulbs are perhaps the most important flower in the early spring garden. Spring bulbs, a welcome sight after a long winter, offer the earliest blooms of all garden flowers. Some bulbs will last until the early perennials begin to bloom in May and June.

There are also some early blooming shrubs which can provide the garden with colorful flowers. Forsythia and witch-hazel, for example, bloom long before many perennials even begin to emerge from the soil. In fact, in the middle of spring and early summer there are more shrubs and trees in bloom than at any other time of year. (more…)