The season that all gardeners long for is upon us. Recent weather has been challenging to say the least, but just like the longed for Spring, hope of brighter days, fresh growth and new beginnings are in the air writes Mattie Keane of Future Forests.
There is nothing quite like Spring bulbs bursting into flower to announce that Spring has finally arrived. While many bulbs are planted in autumn, some can also be planted while actively growing in the Spring or ‘in the green’ as it is called in the trade. Some of my absolute Spring favourites like bluebells, snowdrops, winter aconites and even wild garlic (allium ursinum) tend to establish really well when planted this way. Spring is the time to visit your local woodlands in the hope to come across carpets of these native wildflowers in full bloom – a sight so breathtaking it can stop you in your tracks. That magical woodland effect can be recreated at home by planting swaths of these bulbs underneath deciduous trees or in lightly shaded areas where they will naturalise freely over time.
Japanese flowering cherries are rightly highly-regarded for their showy displays, but there is another group of flowering cherries that are a little bit less known, but should not be overlooked. Just like our native blackthorn – another prunus – (Prunus cerasifera) flowers before the leaf emerges in Spring and its branches are smothered in single white flowers. This common species is called Cherry plum and goes on to produce quite large red or yellow fruits in the Autumn, these can be eaten fresh, but are usually cooked or used in preserves and it is often included in our permaculture hedging mixes. One of its best-known cultivars, Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’ produces masses of striking pink flowers in early spring, followed by attractive dark foliage.
Forsythia is a firm Spring favourite, it is such an easy shrub to grow and many people will recognise its pretty, bright, golden yellow flowers, that for me are a definite reminder that Spring is well and truly here. This versatile shrub responds well to trimming and can even be used as a flowering hedge. It does flower on old wood, so best to prune it immediately after flowering to ensure plenty of blooms for next year. Forsythia x intermedia ‘Spectabilis’ is the most well known form, but other varieties like ‘Weekend’ with its large, abundant flowers and ‘Manchuria’, a compact and early flowering variety, offer something a little bit different.
Another yellow flowering shrub that I admire is Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Grandiflora’. Its branches are famously pliable and it is used to make high quality paper in Japan hence its common name, ‘The Paper Bush’. This unusual shrub can start to flower in late Winter, but more often in Spring. On bare stems, it produces large, yellow, fragrant flowers. It is hardy to around minus-five degrees Celsius, so benefits from a sheltered position, ideally near a wall and somewhere you’ll pass regularly to enjoy its delicious scent. It also grows beautifully in a container. I have seen several mature specimens thriving here in West Cork, with thoughtful placement, it can be a true garden treasure.
Spring flowers will bring beauty to your garden, but having early flowering plants is also a massive benefit to pollinators, do keep in mind that single rather than double flowers are generally much easier for pollinators to access. Another Spring favourite of mine that adds a completely different feature to the garden is catkins, Hazel is really striking at this time of the year, as is alder, and willow is a particularly vital early food source for pollinators and so lovely when covered in its showy catkins.
The bare-root season is drawing to a close at the end of March. If you’ve been considering planting an orchard, creating a native hedgerow, or getting a few trees into the ground, there is still time but you need to do it soon.
We are very well stocked at Future Forests, with new exciting deliveries landing in every week. If it’s a bit cold outside, you can always warm yourself with a light bite or a hot drink from the Coffee Bee, which is open Thursday to Sunday, year round. We look forward to seeing you.