Spring has finally arrived! The cool temperatures are helping spring flowers to last longer, so the landscape is stunning right now. In a well-planned garden, spring perennials provide a lot of color and food for early pollinators without a lot of work. At Sandhill Gardens, the hellebores and daffodils continue to dominate the scene, but there are a lot of plants playing supporting roles. The first of the flowering trees are in bloom. The vivid pink of American plum and the delicate pink of the flowering cherries supply great contrast in a single color. Various colors of crabapple and serviceberry are in tight bud and will soon open. The first azaleas have bloomed in a vivid magenta. Bloodroot’s bright white flowers have graced the shade garden, while purple and white windflowers fill in throughout the garden. Lungworts continue to supply blue, pink and white accents, and the first of the bluebells have brought the sky to the ground. Epimediums in red, pink and yellow give some airy quality to the shady areas. Pink and blue muscari dot the lawn areas and hyacinths of white, purple and pink perfume the air. It is really a magical time in the garden, and the work was done in prior years.

That does not mean there is nothing to do in the garden. It is time to clear out the debris left from last year’s garden. Where possible, cut stalks to about a foot tall, leaving the short stalk as a home for bees and other insects. Those stalks will also provide some support for the young plants that will be growing in and hiding the stalks.

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