Colorful beds from Fall to Spring
We usually think of “waking” up the gardens in Spring. But with choosing the right bulbs, perennials and shrubs, you can awaken your beds with color all thru the drab months of late Fall and Winter; right into Spring!
The ever wonderful Hellebores start late November into March. There are a number of varieties out there. Grab your catalogues and dream a bit. Sometimes the blooms are a bit hidden but the ever- green foliage dots the Winter landscape with its’ hopeful color of green.
Some Phlox Subulata and P. Douglasii “Boothman’s Variety’ will pop a few intermittent blooms. Iris Reticulata will have some early spring color to brighten our days.
Sprinkle in some bulbs of Crocus, Snowdrops, Winter Aconite, Cyclamen and Anemone Blanda and it nearly makes your heart sing! I had a anemone bloom and bloom, pushing its’ little flower heads thru those early spring snows; it was a joy everyday to see them not giving up. Site these in a bit of protection (against a wall etc.) and they will come early shouting and pushing spring in!
There are always the flowering shrubs and vines to add to the palette of color as well as structure. There is Jasmine Nudiflorun, Forsythia and the Mahonia with the yellow pop of color. Fruit of the Red Choke Berry, Crab-apples, Junipers, Staghorn Sumac, Dogwood, asst. Viburnums (always a favorite, as there are blue,yellow,red and orange berries) and Nandina Domestica. We can’t forget the red or yellow stems of the twig dogwoods and the bright green stems of the Kerria Japonica. Wonderful! And the highlight of the late winter for me are the Witch-hazels! ‘James Wells’ and the Jelena’ have flowers of golden yellow with coral petals(reddish).
With a little color here and there, it can get any gardener thru the longest winters “Ole Man Winter” can hand us. So don’t let your garden “sleep” so long. Wake it up with color!! Your Winter blaaa’s with be replaced with Ahhh’s!!
