Garden Tip 175:

Every year from late February through early March, nature teases us concerning the arrival of spring. Whenever we have a four—or five-day stretch of warm weather during that time, I will announce that spring is here, only to be jolted back to reality by a day of freezing weather or light snow!

But I must remember it is not the weather that announces the arrival of spring, it is the plants. It begins quietly and slowly with Snowdrops (Galanthus), followed quickly by Siberian squill (Scilla siberica), Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa), and if you are lucky enough to have them, Winter Aconite (Eranthus).

The appearance of Primrose, Crocus, and emerging Daffodils pretty much ensures that spring is here to stay. Forsythia buds cracking in hues of yellow and gold, azaleas showing hints of purple and pink, and andromeda buds in red, new life abounds in the landscape. April, it is Mother Nature’s magical time of year when the garden literally changes over night. When it happens, it happens fast, so check your garden every day.

Spring is here, don’t miss it!