Named after the arrangement of its leaves, this perennial thrives in shady conditions.  It can be planted in fertile and well draining soil and will grow up to 36 inches.  Jacob’s Ladder comes in shades of blue and white.

If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden then this is a perfect, easy to grow perennial.  Columbine grow well in partial shade and well draining soil and can reach heights of 15-20 inches.  Another bonus to these plants is that they are resistant to insects and disease.  It is available in single and bicolour shades of yellow, pink, purple, white and blue.

Available in blue or pink, forget-me-not prefer rich, organic soil and partial shade.  It is a self seeder therefore can be quite prolific once planted in a formal garden but would be ideal for a wooded area. This perennial will grow equally in height and spread, up to 6 inches.

There is nothing like a garden center in Spring.

Rows and rows of bright,beautiful colour.

I’m in rainbow heaven.

Wish I could have one of these at home.

Producing beautiful arching displays of abundant and fragrant white flowers, this spirea is a great shrub to showcase in your garden each spring. Planted in the full sun or partial shade and with well draining soil the spirea will grow almost 10 feet wide and 8 feet high making it a great hedge or shrub border.

Everything about this plant is beautiful and delicate. With it’s small bell shaped white flowers and sweet fragrance this perennial is a great addition to any shade garden.

Convallaria majalis is a great ground cover, cut flower, woodland perennial or container plant. They can grow up to 12″ tall in partial shade though will grow in most every other condition. Their outstanding smell that has inspired many perfumes comes from flowers that bloom in the late spring.

Try to plant them in an area with a lot of traffic so they can be appreciated over and over again.

I’ve been asked many times by people why their lilacs no longer bloom or have very few blooms left. There are several reasons this may happen.

1. Pruning- Lilacs should be pruned every year to continue being healthy. Remove only the spent blooms with clippers carefully since the next year’s buds develop early. Don’t let the flowers go to seed. Also cut all suckers and shoots away from the plant at ground level or the base of the trunk. These stems will never flower and can take over a plant if left alone.
2. Age of Plant- It can take 3 to 4 years before a lilac bush will bloom so if you have a new plant you won’t see blooms right away.
3. Stress- Insufficient light, soil imbalance, improper fertilizing or transplant shock can all stop the production of flowers.

Lilacs are beautiful and aromatic but unfortunately only flower for a couple of weeks each spring. But by planting them in a sunny location with well draining soil and proper pruning you can successfully have a beautiful display each year.

A blooming success

Main grove

This week marks the time of the year when the Cherry Blossom Trees are in bloom in High Park in Toronto. This much anticipated event only lasts a couple of weeks so I decided this morning to check it out.

The main grove along the hillside gardens by Grenadier Cafe was already beginning to shed its petals and at one point when the wind picked up it looked like it was snowing.

Smaller grove.

Down by the duck pond there was a smaller patch of trees whose blossoms were at their peak. A fully attired bride and groom were having their pictures taken among the trees taking full advantage of this spectacular site though I highly doubt their big day was today; a Tuesday.

Over 600, 000 people attend the Cherry Blossom festival in Washington, D.C each year that includes the Blossom Cam, a web cam that keeps everyone up-to-date on the state of their trees. Maybe Toronto should think about something similar so more people could enjoy this wonderful time of the year.

Beautiful blooms.

You just have to take a quick look down any street in your subdivision and you’ll be sure to see at least one of these gorgeous specimens. Despite the awful mess when they drop their blooms these flowering trees are a popular addiction to any yard.

In full bloom

The Magnolia is a great shade tree that can grow any where from 10 to 20 feet tall and just as wide so you want to make sure they are planted in a sunny or lightly shaded area where they have plenty of room to flourish. I recommend keeping them away from driveways, decks or pool unless you don’t mind the spring “confetti” that will fall each spring.

The blossom up close.

The large blooms range from dark pinks, purples, light pinks and white with pale pink centres and because of their flower size and abundance this is definitely a feature plant for spring colour.

*Interesting Fact :The Magnolia is believed to date back 95 million years ago.

This morning while walking in the neighbourhood I saw good old Robin Red Breast and thought how he is always associated with the first sign of spring. The blooming hyacinths and crocuses are another indicator that spring is finally shaking off the last of the cold grasp that winter had.

My first sign begins when I start seeing the little faces of pansies showing up at corner markets and garden centres. The great thing about these plants is that they thrive in the cold that spring still brings us during the day, which means we can start getting our hands dirty early in April without the fear of frost.

Pansies prefer to be planted in the shade and regular deadheading can help keep it blooming all season long. One trick is to cut them right back in the warmer months when they start to get leggy so that in the cooler fall months they will bloom strong again.

Pansies come in a wide spectrum of colours from yellows, to pinks and purples. They also make perfect container plants to but in a spot that may be too shady for other annuals.

What are your first signs of spring?