Warm Autumn Days and Cool Nights – Time to Think Spring!
By Cheryl Farley
Warm days, cool nights, light rain. Early autumn is a lovely time of year here in Maine and a great time to keep the garden going – and to start planning and planting for spring! The coming weeks are a good time to order bulbs, head out to garden centers to take advantage of end of season sales and to plant some things that will be glorious once again - and add to your curb appeal come spring!
The earliest part of spring is that time of year when one is yearning for some sign of hope. Look for areas under a flowering tree, such as crabapple, redbud, or magnolia to plant bulbs that will emerge and bloom simultaneously. Bulb catalogue descriptions, as well as garden center staff can help with selections based on bloom times, height, color, etc. Picture a weeping crabapple exploding with pink blossoms, while dancing at its feet delicate white narcissi and soft purple muscari or crocus. An April blooming redbud surrounded by pink species tulips can really jump-start spring fever.
Snowdrops are one of the earliest harbingers of hope, sometimes popping up through the snow and then holding their blossoms through March and April. They come in several varieties, each with delicate white pendants with varying lime green accents, some with double blossoms. They are deer and rodent resistant and provide early food for waking pollinators. Pair them with crocus and scilla in filtered sunlight for a heartwarming start to the garden season.
Tulips can be tricky. Deer love them. Rodents love them. Humans love them. Planting them is not for the faint of heart. But, they are so worth the risk! Their sizes, shapes, varieties, and their colors seem endless, ranging from white to almost black and everything in between. They bloom from April to June and supply garden beds with boundless cheer, especially on those cool rainy days of April. Try some Triumph tulips to build confidence! For a real thrill, fill in some spots with Peony Flowering, Fringed or Parrot tulips. Live large! Give them a try.
Planting bulbs among hosta and other leafy perennials will hide yellowing leaves as the spring bloomers go dormant. Selecting perennials that will bloom in time with bulbs, such as anemone, brunnera, helleborus, mertensia or pulmonaria, will really zhuzh up the early garden, not to mention what those combinations do for the spirit! It is never too early to think spring, so get those bulbs and early bloomers and dream!
