Posts Tagged ‘Spring’

Spring only comes once a year – Don’t Miss It!

Take the time before spring is over and the blossoms are down. Here is a list of local community gardens that we can all visit — smell the blossoms, view the kaleidoscope of color, and enjoy the beauty of spring. These gardens are free to enjoy and appreciate at any time of year, but now is THE BEST TIME. Don’t Delay.

The UW Arboretum; Allen Centennial Gardens; Olbrich Botanical Gardens; University Display Gardens (West Madison Ag Research Station); Rotary Gardens in Janesville; Anderson Japanese Garden in Rockford

ENJOY!

We think so!

Magnolia 'Leonard Messel'

Magnolias

Magnolias are just prime right now.

There are numerous colors and varieties to choose from in the Magnolia family. Make a trip to the Arboretum right now or in the next few days and you can jot down the color and variety you like. The colors and blossoms are absolutely gorgeous this time of year. Go pick out a variety and we’ll get one for you.

Cercis Canadensis (Redbud Tree)

Cercis canadensis

There is no way to describe the beauty of a Redbud tree — you just have to sit and admire its many attributes: the blossom color; the fact that the blossoms are all by themselves with no leaves (they come later); the interesting low, wide-spreading structure; and just its all around magnificence.

Both of the above beauties will brighten up your landscape. You’ll be the envy of the neighborhood.

This  early in spring, it is a more than welcome sight to see plants in bloom.  While driving in to our office one morning, I caught sight of a shrub in full bloom in our nursery.  As a person who can’t wait for signs of spring after the long winter, I got really excited, jumped out of my truck and ran over to take in the sight.  It was a Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) blooming like mad.

As its name would imply, Vernal Witchhazels bloom in very early spring with small strap-like petals that are yellow to orange with a tinge of red at the base.  They grow to become large shrubs or small trees in full sun to partial shade.

Vernal Witchhazel

This is a plant that too often gets overlooked–probably due to its uncommon bloom time–but it has much to offer.  I especially enjoyed smelling the spicy-sweet fragrance from the flowers.  Vernal Witchhazels also offer some late season interest with their yellow fall color.  I appreciate a lot about this plant, but probably what I appreciate most is their eager attitude in spring.  They, much like myself, can’t wait for spring to arrive and as soon as it does, they’re ready to show off their beautiful flowers and get growing for another year.  So for those of us who look forward to the earliest possible signs of spring, this is the perfect plant!

Our lawns have finally emerged from their lengthy snow cover. You may be seeing damage from mice that have spent several months moving around under the snow. In most cases the mice have only torn the blades off of the plant and have not injured the crown (growing point). The grass should come back on its own. Any loose grass should be raked off. This will help to warm up the soil faster, which will accelerate the grass growth and green it up faster.

Another lawn problem you might be seeing is snow mold. This is a problem when there is continuous snow cover for several months. Snow mold usually does not pose a problem for home lawns. The grass will fill back in by itself. Loosening or fluffing up the matted grass with a leaf rake will speed up the recovery.

Happy Spring Clean-up!