Savor Spring!

Some of spring’s most rewarding plants are also the easiest to miss. 

Woodland perennials like Epimedium bloom early in the season, so if you’re not out in the garden during the still chilly days of April and early May, you might miss them. Prized for its wiry stems of small fairy flowers and durable foliage, which in many varieties emerges with bronze or red tones before turning green for summer. It thrives in dry shade once established, making it a Victoria Gardens’ favorite for shade gardens in the Hudson Valley.

Other early bloomers, including Brunnera macrophylla and Virginia bluebells. Brunnera offers bright blue flowers and attractive heart-shaped leaves, while Virginia bluebells produce clusters of pink buds that open to soft blue flowers before going dormant in summer. Plus, these early bloomers provide one of the first nectar sources for emerging pollinators and create interest at a time when many perennial borders are still bare.

Hellebore is another dependable early-season perennial, flowering in late winter to early spring and holding its blooms for months in cool weather. The foliage is beautiful and this is our favorite “plant this not that” to replace Hosta in areas where deer are a problem!

These plants are often described as fleeting because their bloom time is relatively short, usually lasting only a few weeks depending on weather. That short season is part of what makes them so lovely! Even if it’s damp and chilly, get out into the garden and savor them!