SPRING FLOWERS

Signs of Spring

FLOWERS BEGIN TO BLOOM.

FAWN LILIES (ERYTHRONIUM),

Such as the creamy 'White Beauty', are glorious additions to spring's

floral tapestry. The leaves are mottled like a fawn.

Several yellow-flowered varieties are available, among them 'Pagoda'.

CHINESE HELLEBORE (HELLEBORUS)

 Which has graceful, nodding pink flowers. Winter moisture doesn't harm it,

but dry soil is necessary during summer,

when all the leaves completely disappear.

ORIENTAL POPPY (PAPAVER ORIENTALE)

They have huge crepe-paper flowers in fiesta colours that seem to

usher in the vacation months. After flowering, however, the plants

quietly fold up and remain dormant until autumn, when a fresh rosette of

foliage appears. 'Patty's Plum', has enormous dusty purple flowers.

SIEBOLD PRIMROSE (PRIMULA) 

This works well for winter-wet or moist spots. The starry, five-petal

flowers emerge in late spring, and by midsummer when conditions are dry,

the plants retreat underground. This primrose is easy to grow throughout most

of the country, even in semi-arid regions, as long as it is planted in humus-rich soil.

PASQUE FLOWER (PULSATILLA)

These have gorgeous purplish blue flowers and demand a

well-drained spot with sandy or gravelly soil and a neutral ph.

For areas with wetter and warmer winters, try the European Pasque flower.

Pasque flowers do not grow well in regions with hot, humid summers.

ATAMASCO LILY (ZEPHYRANTHES)

 These grow well in gardens with wet soil in spring and winter, and

it does fine in any moist, acidic soil. The pure white trumpets bloom around

Mother's Day. Foliage persists through early summer, so provide ample

sunshine while plants are in active growth.

Voles and other garden critters usually don't eat the bulbs.

EUROPEAN WOOD ANEMONE(ANEMONE) 

These form solid drifts of white or blue flowers. Try the white and green

'Bracteata Pleniflora', the late-blooming white 'Vestal', the green-flowered

'Monstrosa', and the yellow-flowered buttercup anemone.

EUROPEAN TOOTHWORT(CARDAMINE)

This is lovely. Try the dramatic C. Pentaphyllos. 

It has showy pink flowers.

LEOPARD'S BANE (DORONICUM) 

These open its yellow daisy like flowers with the daffodils.

'Little Leo' is a showstopper with double glowing golden flowers.

Plants produce fresh foliage in autumn after spending the summer underground.

TRILLIUMS (TRILLIUM) 

With their range of colours and intriguing shape.

The unfortunately named bloody butcher is a purple trillium

that forms an open groundcover. The dramatic yellow trillium

has mottled leaves and lemon-scented yellow flowers.