Spring is such a wonderful and beautiful time of the year to enjoy the color that plants can give to your landscape.

There are many different plants that give color now and can also be a wonderful addition to your landscape. Some plants that are showing color now are Forsythia with yellow blooms, Lorapetalum with red and pink blooms depending on the variety, Okame cherry with pink blooms and some Red Buds now showing purple blooms. Also some Camellias are showing a variety of colorful blooms. Other plants that are starting to show color are Korean Spice Viburnum with very fragrant blooms and Skemmia are showing clusters of white flowers.

Plants that will be blooming soon should be planted now, such as Azaleas that come in an array of colors including whites, pinks, reds, purple and lavender. There are early, late and repeat blooming varieties of Azaleas. They also are available in low, medium and tall growth habits.

If you aren’t sure about which variety to plant, ask a garden professional to help you choose. Rhododendrons are another great choice for a colorful plant that does well in the shade. They have large blooms that make a great show in you landscape. They can be planted in groups or by themselves. The colors available are pink, red, purple, lavender and white. Blueberries, even though they produce berries, are very appealing as a blooming plant.

Some summer color plants that are available now are Geraniums. They are some of the most asked for annuals, especially for planters and hanging baskets. They are also available in many shades of color.

If you keep the old blooms pinched off, they will give great color throughout the entire growing season. Snapdragons, Dusty Miller, Million Bells and Primrose are also available now.

Happy gardening.