Chionodoxa, Siberian Squill, Crocus, Puschkinia, Eranthis, the early tulips, even certain Narcissus are all bulbs in bloom as of this date in my grounds. Most of the Snowdrops have already passed their time. These Dutch bulbs, as they are called, are sold by the bulb in September and October when they are planted for the coming season bloom. Hyacinths, Ornithagalum and most of the taller tulips and Narcissus usually arrive in bloom two weeks or more after these early bloomers. Don’t forget the Narcissus are NOT rabbit food. The same cannot be said of other bulbs.
This is an early Spring season for our greater Twin City, Minnesota geography, running about two garden weeks ahead of average bloom and leaf out time. Bloodroot and Pachysandra opened bloom this past Tuesday , the same day leaf buds on the mature, 6’x6′ Golden Carousel Barberry began opening, always producing a winsome sight as if sparkling gold in the sun….. stardust exploding. Merrill Magnolia is already in full white fragrant bloom. Almost all of the conifers, especially the arborvitaes, are also showing off their spring- season sheen celebrating the end of their long winter nap.
This is the time of year, a brief time at that, when these healthy evergreen conifers claim command of the landscape, their greatest color dominance of the tree world. It is when they are in full open bud when they are most colorful. It will be yet another three weeks, depending upon sun and temperature, before our largest deciduous shade trees begin their rule of mass green, their size and shade to govern the landscape until leaf fall in October and November.
If Minnesota home dwellers didn’t love to mow lawn so much, they might pay closer attention to the world of garden plants, and having planted the exceptional ones, come to become intoxicated by the constant daily alterations of the beauty they produce on the grounds where they live. If a broader variety of plants were displayed wisely and artfully, we would all recognize that Landscape Gardening is supposed to be an artform. the most cherished artform of them all.
Lawn has a place in the home grounds. It is the carpet of human outdoor life. When our American cities began to grow, lawn was primary in its function to announce to every home owner, they now lived in the civilized city surrounded by people instead of trees, prairies, and the wildings competing with them for food and flesh.
We at Masterpiece Landscaping invite visitors including garden club groups to schedule a visit to our home grounds near Hopkins, Minnesota, by calling us at 952-933-5777 for a guided tour.