Even though we’re just a few days away from the official start of spring, March has always been the most fickle month of all. Cool, wet weather, sudden clearing with warmer temperatures, then a cold night frost. Fortunately, many cool-loving, early colour plants thrive in this kind of unpredictability.
There are a couple reasons why early colour is far more important than we realize. For one, it lifts our spirits to see splashes of colour, like the vibrant yellow of forsythias. After a long winter season, pollinators are looking for sources of pollen and nectar. Today, when we garden, even in small spaces, we should be thinking about sequencing our colour, all through spring, summer and fall, with a continuous series of effective pollinator plants.
As soon as we get consistent 10 degrees Celsius or higher temperatures, bees and other pollinators will be out in full force. With the loss of so much natural habitat, it’s essential that our gardens become pollinator filling stations.
The last of our winter-flowering shrubs will soon be finishing their bloom period. Viburnum Pink Dawn, one of the very last to flower and make a nice showing, is now in full bloom. Pussy willows, such as Mt. Aso, a vibrant pink variety, are just beginning to flower as their catkins begin to dissipate. They are, by far, one of the most effective pollinator plants.
Forsythias, Mother Nature’s starting gun announcing the arrival of spring, now come in many sizes and forms, making them quite adaptable to a range of garden types. I love to watch big bumble bees squeeze into their brilliant blossoms.
Red flowering currants are some of the most underused, early blooming garden plants. Ribes sanguineum King Edward is, perhaps, the most well-known for its masses of pendulous red flowers from late March into April. Not only are they great pollinator plants, but they also provide natural food for arriving hummingbirds. They do best and last the longest when planted in a morning sun/afternoon shade situation.
It's a shame that we don’t see them much in gardens today, but chaenomeles or flowering quince are some of the most spectacular plants with their masses of brightly coloured white, pink or red flowers that stand up well in our cool, wet springs. They actually need to be pollinated in order to produce small, apple-size fruit, from which delicious quince jelly is made.
Yellow flowering Kerria japonica is another old timer you seldom see in today’s gardens. In April, Kerria japonica Pleniflora has all kinds of double flowers that look quite amazing. It, too, is a pollinator magnet.
These are just a few of the many choices for beautiful, early spring colour plants that will bloom in sequence for a continuous flow of garden colour and for a steady supply of much-needed pollinator food.
As you drive through various neighbourhoods at this time of the year, look for some of these beautiful plants to see just how much they lift the landscape, and you can also be confident that they are supporting the local pollinator population.
