Parade of Spring Blooming Shrubs

Mother Nature is on her own schedule; this spring proves it more than ever. No matter when the blooming begins, the spring parade of color found in shrubs and small trees is splendid, and these beauties display in a fairly predictable order.

Spring flowering shrubs work wonderfully in tandem with one another, brightening our yards in handsome succession when we need it most. They add so much to our gardens when not much has begun to happen. Consider finding a spot for all the April and May bloomers I’ve listed. Newer varieties offer up sizes and shapes to fit your space.

Forsythia (mid to late April)

Many find its somewhat scrubby summer look to be not worth the spring show, but we need this harbinger of warmer days after months of cold. The stems of dainty lemon Jell-O yellow flowers are a necessary pick-me-up in temperamental April.

‘Northern Sun’ is fast-growing and can reach 10 feet. Check your local nursery for newer introductions that bring compact size and tidier appearances. Forsythia loves full sun and will tolerate less than ideal soil.

Rhododendrons and azaleas (late April through May)

Which is it, a rhododendron or an azalea? Actually, it’s both, as rhododendron is the genus for both plants. In our parts, rhododendrons are evergreens and keep their leaves over winter and azaleas are deciduous, losing their leaves come fall. Overall, rhododendrons are larger shrubs, with larger leaves and fuller flowers. Azalea flowers have a slightly more delicate appearance. The colors these shrubs bring are unparalleled in the garden as they erupt in neon, fluorescent and yummy pastels here and there, where you never noticed a shrub was.

Azaleas and rhododendrons will do well in full sun to part shade. If they receive a daily extended dose of hot, summer sun, they may need supplemental watering; keep an eye on them in July and August as wilting leaves will let you know they need a drink. The U of M introduced the ‘Northern Lights’ series in 1978. Once you begin collecting them, it’s hard to stop!

Tree in disguise as a shrub: magnolias can be tough as steel (late April through mid-May)

Magnolia makes the list of springtime must-haves. ‘Royal Star,’ ‘Ann’ and ‘Jane’ are all smaller than many shrubs and produce the flowers we crave. ‘Ann’ flowers are a delicious pinkish-purple and the tree maxes out at 10 feet tall and wide. The ‘Royal Star’ flowers are white and daintier and the shrub can reach 12 feet tall and wide. ‘Jane’ can get to 15 feet, with more of a tree-like form and the flowers are creamy white in the center with deep purple outer petals.

Magnolias do fine in part shade and thus, can be positioned slightly beneath larger trees. You can gently limb-up magnolias to create planting space beneath. Magnolias are handsome trees even after the flowers fall.

Lilacs (early May)

The color and fragrance is nostalgic balm for the soul. The old-fashioned varieties form massive stands, borders and anchors of up to 20 feet tall in the garden and will always have their place in garden design, in my opinion, but more recently developed varieties give us what we love, only longer, later and in smaller doses. ‘Bloomerang’ will flower intermittently throughout the summer. Dwarf Korean and ‘Prairie Petite’ maintain a compact size, around four-by-four feet. ‘Miss Canada’ is bright pink and blooms in late May. ‘Sensation’ flowers are unique little works of art. All lilacs love full sun, don’t require much from their soil and suffer only from powdery mildew, which is unsightly at worst.

Purpleleaf cherry (early May)

I think the blood red foliage is the real reason to grow these sun-lovers, but the bustle of pink flowers in May takes my breath away. A gardener’s note: I was told the secret to keep this plant looking good is to never prune it, but alas, the rabbits love to nibble it in the winter and thus, it gets pruned and looks a little nerdy.

Tree in disguise as a shrub: A blooming redbud will stop traffic (May)

In 1992, the University of Minnesota introduced a reliable zone 4 redbud with a name that is nowhere near as poetic as the tree itself: ‘Northern Strain.’ Deep pink and rose flowers like popcorn along horizontal branches are both subtle and a stand-out in the spring garden. It reaches 25 feet with a 35-foot spread, so you do need a fair amount of space for it. The golden fall foliage is a great end to a great tree.

Plant a black chokeberry with fall in mind and you will get a spring treat (May)

The chokeberry is a sturdy shrub with rich fall color and persistent berries and the May flowers are sweet.

Minneapolis-based Eric Johnson blogs at gardendrama.wordpress.com.