The first burst of spring color is such a welcome sight. If your landscape is little drab here are three great options for adding fresh, spring color this year.
Forsythia is usually the very first color we see. These sun loving shrubs are filled with medium sized bright yellow blooms in early to mid-April. The flowers last a couple of weeks depending on the weather before falling and making way for dark green leaves. Forsythia is a large, upright shrub growing to 6-8′ tall and 5-7′ wide.
Magnolias are known for their large, gorgeous blooms in pink, white and yellow depending on the variety. Shown here is the ‘Royal Star’ magnolia, a large shrub or multi-stemmed low growing tree to 8-10 feet tall and wide. Magnolias prefer full sun and are filled with dark green leaves the remainder of the growing season. The flower buds are also attractive in winter. “Merrill’ is a true tree form, white flowered magnolia reaching about 40′. You can see a full grown version of this tree in Sargent’s parking lot. Yellow and pink flowered tree magnolias are also available.
Rhodedendrans are a leafy evergreen and put on a spectacular show with their beautiful mauve blooms. P.J.M. is the hardiest of the rhododendrons for our part of the country. The blooms are replaced with beautiful, glossy green leaves which turn a dark purple in fall and through winter. Rhododendrons are slow growers preferring well drained and acidic soil. They do best in part sun.
Photo credit: Bailey Nursery
TIP: For the best blooms on all your spring flowering shrubs be sure to prune only right after they finish flowering. Prune these shrubs later in the season and you may chop off many of your next spring’s flowers. Check out our March Spring Pruning post for more details.