Signs of Spring!

At last, we have some warmer weather, and the early blooming trees are springing into life. If you travel regularly, you will have seen spring advancing up the country as the blackthorn blooms. It is a common native shrub or and one of the first flower and striking as it flowers before producing leaves. It is covered with numerous white flowers, with beautiful lime green centres and yellow pollen laden stamens.

Catkins are found on trees such as hazel, alder and birch and are another welcome sign of spring. Trees usually have both male and female catkins. The females are generally longer and showier and dangle in the breeze to catch floating pollen from the male flowers.

Other early flowerers are Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer with its clusters of white flowers, and beautiful pink flowered cherries such as Pandora, Accolade and vibrant Tillstone Hellfire. These are closely flowered by the justly popular Amelanchier or Snowy Mespilus, which are as snowy as their name suggests.

In town gardens, flowering Magnolias are the most obvious sign that spring has arrived, where their large exotic blooms add splashes of colour, ranging from white though to dark pinks and occasionally even purples or greeny yellows. The display usually begins with the star magnolia, Magnolia Sellata and its hybrids, which is one of the most compact and floriferous species. These are followed by the pink species such as M. soulangeana and M. denudata


Spring often is associated with emerging fresh green leaves but here in the nursery, it begins with an explosion of white and pink flowers.