Calling It Spring

Spring officially arrives March 20 this year. However, I am calling it spring a month early. Not pre-spring. Spring! I am aware that cruel hard frost could quickly put a damper on my enthusiasm, but I can't deny what is happening in my garden. Young perennial shoots are poking out of the earth, buds are swelling, and flowers are opening.Naturalized daffodils cover portions of the garden. They are a cheerful sign of spring.

My gardening juices are flowing like sap rising in a maple tree. Between rain storms (according to my rain gauge, 12.4" in February!) I have been outside cleaning, pruning, and weeding. Some days I feel like I am working inside a cloud because of all the moisture in the air, but the cool temperatures are perfect for gardening.

As I work, I breathe in the rich earthy smells around me and listen to a cacophony of bird song. Birds are beginning to claim rights to various birdhouses on the property. Others birds are finding potential home sites inside shrubs like Chaenomeles, known as flowering quince. Its dense, prickly branches offer good shelter for nests. It is a reliable, low-maintenance shrub with beautiful blooms:

Here are more early blooms in the garden:Clockwise from top left: Forsythia is one of the first shrubs to bloom; The original owner of our home planted these smaller daffodils many years ago, and I find them popping up throughout the garden; Edgeworthia buds are now opening completely to reveal clusters of trumpet shaped flowers; Amelanchier trees, also called Juneberry, have attractive white blossoms that last only a week or so, but are followed by sweet berries that ripen in June.

Hellebores, daffodils, camellia, and a potted variegated winter daphne complement each other in shades of pink and white:

I call these old tree logs, "Stump World." After a tornado in 1990, we rolled several huge sections of a fallen oak tree down into the woods to let them rot. They have been a fascinating study in how nature recycles itself. Today only these two remain. The plants in front are Aucuba japonica.

I always like to finish my garden day by taking a stroll in the woodland garden. As evening approached, I recently snapped a photo of the lengthening shadows:

Then I gathered my tools and began making plans for the next gardening day. 

Serviceberries For the Birds (And Me!)

One day last year I found myself driving down the road with leafy stems bouncing around my head, wondering what I would say if I were pulled over by a state trooper. Tree branches filled the front seat of my car, reaching out to explore the front windows and seeking to find escape through the roof. Two slender trunks occupied the center space between the seats. At the very back of the car their roots were contained within large plastic pots, lying on their sides and wedged against the rear lift gate. 

When I purchased the two Serviceberry trees, I asked the attendant if he thought he could fit them into my mini van. No problem, I can do it, he said.

And he did. Yes, he did.

Amelanchier, AKA Serviceberry or Juneberry or Shadbush and a few other names as well, is a small tree with many North American species and some European ones. The fruit attracts bluebirds, cardinals, robins and other songbirds. The sweet, juicy berries look a lot like blueberries, but, unlike blueberries, they contain soft, almond flavored seeds. Humans like the berries, too, and they can be used instead of blueberries to make muffins, cobblers, preserves and jam. The berries are not often offered commercially, and it's not so easy to find the trees, either. So I was happy when I found two locally at a reasonable price. 

I hope I will soon have berries like these, shown in this public domain photo.

I haven't personally tasted the fruit yet. My two young trees produced only a handful of berries last year, which quickly disappeared. This year my trees are filled with blooms, so I am hoping for a more abundant crop. I am thinking one tree for the birds and one for me, though I suspect the birds won't abide by my thinking.

Serviceberries add ornamental value to the garden year round. Species may grow as shrubs or as small trees up to 25' tall. The branch structure is beautiful and the tree bark is often distinctive, with vertical fissures developing with age. In early spring, the branches are filled with clusters of white, five-petaled flowers, each bloom about 3/4" across. The flowers are followed by shiny green, 2" long leaves. The tasty fruit usually ripens in June, thus the common name Juneberry. Fall color is excellent, with brilliant orange and gold color that persists for weeks.

With different species growing in zones 2-9, Amelanchier is usually easy to grow. Plant in moist but well draining soil in a site protected from strong winds. Full sun is best, but they will adapt to a partly shady location. Fertilize in November and maintain a 2"-3" layer of mulch around the base, making sure the mulch does not actually touch the bark. Water frequently during drought. Then enjoy your berries, if you can get to them before the birds. (Warning: deer also like them!)