Spring and forsythia are synonymous for many of us, and that's too bad. If you see nothing bloom before the forsythia then you are missing a lot of action. Granted, some of the earliest bloomers may be a bit subtle, but at this season we won't quibble over the details: a bloom is a bloom to a gardener in need!
Some of my all time favorites for early spring bloom are the witchhazels (Hamamelis mollis and H. intermedia), a large shrub or small tree, followed closely by the pussy willow, then snowdrops and hellebores.
Another less noticed source of early interest is the red maple (Acer rubrum) tree whose buds swell and turn redder by the day (scroll down for photo) and are visible from an impressive distance. I know when the buds are in full swell because they make me sneeze.
Yet another early performer rarely seen is the white flowered Abeliophyllum distichum. This unimpressive little shrub is but a ghostly impression of its more brightly colored and unrelated cohort, forsythia. But, its quiet display makes the forsythia seem tardy by comparison.
Moss may be low on the list for most spring gardens, but at my house it is delightfully perky and bright at this time of year, poking up through the old oak leaves and peeking out between crags of rock. I'm not sure if it is blooming or not, but it is cheerful enough to count on my list. Here is a moss garden to enjoy, although it is planted with Irish moss, a different plant entirely.
This morning's garden tour reveals primroses coming into growth again, happy in their shady niche. Their crinkly center leaves are green and crisp as new lettuce. These particular little plants arrived in a florist's basket last spring and have settled in nicely, much to my surprise, since they are still in their pots.
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