Early Flowering Shrubs

Shrubs add many important aspects to the landscape. They add colour, texture and form to any garden. These beautiful flowering shrubs add interest to the garden early in the season. 

Double Flowering Plum
Prunus triloba var. multiplex

Height: 1.8-2.1cm

Spread: 1.8-2.1m

Bloom: Early Spring, pink blossoms, about two weeks

Fruit: None

Growth Rate: Slow to medium

Life Span: short

Zone: 3

Growing: Double Flowering Plum needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to bloom properly. It looks great as a feature shrub, in an informal hedge and the back of a border. This shrub should be pruned right after it leafs out. It will need to be thinned out to promote new growth. It usually blooms on one to three year old wood. Grow Double Flowering Plum shrubs in protected areas, because the flower buds will die in -35°C or extreme temperature.

   

   

American Hybrid Lilac ‘Mount Baker’ 
Syringa x hyacinthiflora ‘Mount Baker’

Height: 3-3.7m

Spread: 3-3.7m

Bloom: Early Spring, White single flowers

Fruit: Capsules

Growth Rate: Medium

Life Span: Long

Zone: 3

Growing: Mount Baker grows well in sun to light shade. It makes the most impact in the garden as a hedge, in shrub beds and as a screen. It is one of the first lilacs to bloom with its white flowers that are perfectly displayed against its dark green foliage.

WATCH OUT!

Forsythia
Forsythia x Forsythia

This shrub has amazing yellow flowers that bloom before it leafs out, but the blooms are not fully hardy. This means Forsythia may not bloom every year because of low temperatures.

Height: 1.8-2.7m

Spread: 1.8-2.7m

Bloom: Early Spring, Yellow flowers

Fruit: not noticeable

Growth Rate: Fast

Lifespan: Short

Zone: The shrub is zone 3 and the flower buds are zone 4.

Growing: Forsythia needs sun to light shade and flowers the best in full sun. It does not grow well in clay soil, but does well in loose, moist, well draining soil. It looks great in an informal hedge or as a background shrub. Prune Forsythia after it has bloomed to promote new growth and to remove thick old growth. Plant this shrub in a well protected area and cover it with snow for the best chance of getting beautiful blooms. 

   

To see more interesting plant choices go to http://www.holesonline.com/

Prune That Puppy!

This is an awesome simple YouTube guide for pruning spring flowering shrubs. It even describes how to prune Lilacs and Forsythia!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8bQjoPgLVk

Attractive Early Blooming Perennials

After a long winter we all look forward to gardening. These perennials will add color early in the season.

Primrose

Height: 15-25cm

Spread: 25-30cm

Bloom: Early to late spring. Auricula Primrose may bloom again in the fall.

Spacing: Oxlip and Cowslip 25-30cm apart, Auricula 30-38cm apart

Growing: Primrose grows well in moist, shady locations. They are best showcased in rock, woodland gardens and mixed flowerbeds. Primrose looks great at the front of the border. They should be divided every 2-4 years except for Auricula, which won’t need to be divided unless the center of the plant starts to die out.

 Auricula Primrose, Primula auricula

 

 Oxlip Primrose, Primula elatior

Cowslip Primrose, Primula veris

 

Spurge 

Euphorbia polychroma

Height: 45-90cm

Spread: 60-90cm

Bloom: Early Spring

Spacing: 30-45cm

Growing: Spurge grows well in full sun and can be located in dry, hot locations with poor soil. Spurge looks best in the front or middle of a border. It works well in rock gardens and as an accent plant. This perennial does not spread and stays in its mounding form. It is also deer-proof and repels mice and moles.

 

WATCH OUT!

Lily-of-the-Valley

Convallaria majalis

This perennial has delicate, sweet-smelling flowers, but it is an invasive plant. It spreads vigorously crowding out weaker plants.  

Height: 15-25cm

Spread: 38cm or more

Bloom: Early Spring

Spacing: 15-20cm apart

Growing: Lily-of-the-Valley grows well in partial to full shade. It can be used as a ground cover, around the base of trees and shrubs and can grow in shady areas were other plants can’t survive. It likes moist areas so is suggested that compost is added to the soil before planting. If the area is too dry the leaves will be small and pale. 

To see more interesting plant choices go to http://www.holesonline.com/


Candy any one?
Check out this YouTube video on Candytuft. It's a great early bloomer!

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=early+blooming+perennials&oq=early+blooming+perennials&gs_l=youtube.3..35i39l2.545.3444.0.3929.15.15.0.0.0.3.142.1499.10j5.15.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.8j1Ug973-yg