Early Spring

Garden Clippings for April 16, 2022

Winter has finally gone out the back door, revealing a few incredible surprises in the garden.  In my backyard it is the Bergenia that deserves first prize for putting on the earliest and showiest performance.

Bergenia, sometimes called Pigsqueak, is a large-leafed perennial with thick, glossy evergreen foliage, with texture resembling rhubarb.  As soon as cold weather arrives in fall, its leaves move from green to bronze.  The more snow the better for Bergenia, as snow protects the foliage from winter wind and sun.

When snow finally disappears Bergenia shows off its dark, glossy foliage.  And as if that’s not quite enough, in a few weeks Bergenia has another burst of gusto by sporting Hyacinth-like blooms atop short stems.  Blooms are mostly pink but can also be white.

Bergenia is best planted solo rather than in groups.  I like to plant it in rock gardens where its dark foliage serves up a contrast against lighter coloured rocks.  Bergenia grows best in partial shade but adapts readily to the hot sun.  Mine has landscape fabric under the cobblestone, helping to retain soil moisture.

Bergenia is a well-behaved plant, not growing more than a foot high.  Even when in flower, the plant remains compact.  After blooming, warm weather causes foliage to become greenish for the rest of summer.

Next to flower in early spring is Hellebore, a welcome bloomer after a long winter.  Hellebore is more affectionately known as Lenten Rose because it blooms as early as the Lent season, just before Easter.  Hellebore is a perennial that grows in shade, with long lasting blooms partially hidden by its own foliage.

Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) becomes a carpet of white blooms that somehow appear whiter than the occasional morning snowfall that might cover it.  Because it grows only a few inches high, Candytuft is perfect for along a border or in rock gardens.  It prefers a spot in full sun, but mine is planted on the north side of mature cedars, which probably helps extend its blooming time.

Rock Cress (Arabis caucasica) has a similar growth habit as Candytuft, but with softer grey foliage.  Blooms are long lasting and fragrant, attracting bees and other beneficial pollinators to the spring garden.

In a week or two, Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) will suddenly appear in the garden.  As soon as they poke through the soil, Bleeding Heart will almost instantly become about 18 inches high, with a string of delicate looking flowers on arching flower stems.  Flower colour ranges from white to red.  Bleeding Heart has attractive foliage in spring, with foliage fading by summertime.  I like Bleeding Heart when planted in hidden places throughout the shade garden where its foliage can be hidden by more handsome plants in summer.

My final pick for early spring show is Barrenwort (Epimedium), a little-known perennial groundcover that grows in tight shady spots where other plants refuse to perform.  Small, dainty flowers in white to pink, bloom in early spring to early summer.