Spring Gardening
I love spring! After a long, cold winter, I am so happy to see my spring bulbs, perennials and flowering shrubs in bloom. They kickstart the growing season and my gardens come to life with beautiful colors. Long before planting season, I start planting seeds inside my house, then move them to the greenhouse as the weather gets warmer.
Spring Bulbs
Spring bulbs, considered hardy bulbs, are planted in the fall before the ground freezes. They look best when planted in groupings. They add beautiful color to borders, flower beds and containers. Some of my favorites are tulips, daffodils, muscari, hyacinths and irises.
Perennials
Perennials go dormant in the winter and return in the spring. Their roots survive the cold winter season and pop up to regrow their leaves and flowers when the ground thaws. I try to plan my gardens so that there's always perennials blooming from early spring to late fall. Hostas, lilies, peonies, bleeding hearts, dianthus and poppies are a few of my favorite spring perennials.
Flowering Shrubs & Trees
Flowering shrubs and trees provide stunning landscapes and many have amazing scents. After they flower, their greenery remains until autumn. I like how flowering shrubs and trees take their turn! In my yard, the forsythias makes their debut, followed by lilacs, rhododendron, spirea and weigela.
April Showers Bring May Flowers
Spring bulbs appear shortly after the snow has ended and the ground has begun to thaw. Sometimes they pop up through the snow when Mother Nature confuses them with warmer temperatures. I love their vibrant colors. Coming from Dutch heritage, Tulips have always been my favorite.
My neighbors are amazed that the deer don't eat my bulbs. I have a little secret that I will share with you...I grate Irish Spring soap and sprinkle it around my gardens to keep the deer away! They don't like the smell. I use it on my perennials and annuals as well.
Deer are a real nuisance to gardeners. They typically avoid plants with strong aromas, so I plant Allium, Anemones, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Iris and Muscari among my Tulips. They are considered deer resistant bulbs.
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After bulbs have finished flowering, deadhead the spent flowers but leave the stems and foliage until they die back naturally. Bulbs will use the foliage to produce the energy they need to form new flowers the next year. Let the foliage wither and turn yellow, then pull it gently away from the bulb. This usually takes a about five to six weeks after flowering. In the meantime, plant perennials among your bulbs to hide the leaves. I find Hostas, Lilies, Bleeding Hearts and Peonies look great planted among bulbs. They grow rapidly and also bloom soon after spring bulbs, so there is ongoing color in my garden.
