The Budding Question of Buds

It is officially spring; the Vernal Equinox has arrived. It has been a long hard winter season and you are anxious for the first signs of spring. It is time to start watching for the long awaited buds and blooms.

So what are the first flowers of spring? In what order can you expect to see flowers blooming in your garden?

The first precious sign of flowers I get in my garden arrives with no fanfare and no sign of buds. I will see the thin, grassy leaves and then one sunny day the flowers simply appear with no sign of a bud. Crocus vernus blooms in zone 5 early in the season, often as early as February. I look forward to my crocus announcing that the dark days of winter will soon be over. They are unaffected by snow and will often bloom on a sunny day in snow covered grounds, poking their lovely blooms right through the snow.

Buds and blooms start slowly at first. Soon after the crocus bloom, we can expect to see buds on the early blooming daffodils. It may still be two to three weeks after the crocus makes its first appearance of blooms before the sunny daffodil finally opens.

With the appearance of blossoms on the daffodil you should now be seeing signs of buds on the forsythia bush and the Nanking cherry bush prunus tomentosa. The Nanking cherry sets a small cherry that makes a wonderful jam in summer. Though at our house it is more of a snack food for us during a walk through the gardens and the rest we leave for very grateful birds.

Now that the forsythia and cherry bushes have buds a stroll through the garden will reveal buds on the purple hyacinth.

Depending on the weather, you might see blooms on the forsythia within days of noticing buds. The forsythia will likely bloom before the daffodils finish up their season.

I have noticed over the years that my spring blooms start in certain color patterns. First comes the purple crocus, then white crocus, then the yellow of daffodils and forsythia before turning to the pinks of the cherry bush and phlox. Once they have all made their appearance you can count on a burst of color making way for the warmest months in the garden.

The only exception I have in my garden to the color pattern is the hyacinth. The hyacinths lovely 'grapes' of purple or white bloom along with the end of the forsythia bloom time.

Next, you can expect to see the brightest promise of spring, tulips! Tulips come in just about every imaginable color. They will brighten your garden and your spirits. Warning: Deer and squirrels are fond of tulip bulbs. You can help protect your bulbs by laying a layer of chicken wire over the bulbs when you plant them.

Your daylilies and tall phlox should now be poking up out of the ground, already turning spring into the anticipation of summer.

If you have planned your early spring flower garden well, you can look forward to blossoms before the snow has even left your gardens behind. Planning for blooms through some of the hardest days of winter - - the end of the season, can help turn those winter blahs into springtime ahs.