In the spring, while t
s and shrubs are still showing their pale gn new growth, the early border generally consists of colorful bulbs and a few early blooming pe
n
s against a backdrop of gn foliage and brown earth. Spring bulbs are perhaps the most important 
wer in the early spring garden. Spring bulbs, a welcome sight after a long winter, offer the earliest blooms of all garden wers. Some bulbs will last until the early pens begin to bloom in May and June.
There are also some early blooming shrubs which can provide the garden with colorful wers. Forsythia and witch-hazel, 
example, bloom long bee many pens even begin to emerge from the soil. In fact, in the middle of spring and early summer there are more shrubs and ts in bloom than at any other time of year.
Most early blooming pens are quite suitable the shade garden. They’re able to take advantage of the sun while it still reaches the ground beneath deciduous ts which have yet to m their leaves. Wood
d gardens are often the most colorful dscapes in the spring since many native, shade tolerant wers bloom early in the season.
A 
at early blooming pen the garden is iris which ranges in color from white to purple and in size from a few inches to 4 feet. Bleeding heart is a short lived yet stu
ng pink blooming pen which is at home in both the shade garden the woodd garden. Columbine, an easy to grow pen, blooms in a variety of colors. Some of the showiest early season wers include poppy and peony and lupine.
Though there are many early blooming garden pts, gn is still the dominant color in the spring dscape so choose a few pts with interesting foliage. Hosta grows in many shades of gn including blue-gn and gold-gn. Hosta ms the perfect backdrop spring wers. Evergns provide the garden with beautiful shades of gn year-round. Variegated foliage, like that of the emerald and gold euonymus, brightens up the garden with a mix of light and dark colors.
Spring bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils, blue bells and crocuses, are pted in the fall and blooms as early as March. Bulbs are a very versatile wer as they’re suitable the pen garden, the shrub bed or even pting in the lawn. They’re most effective when pted in masses so pt quite a few in each area.
Early blooming pens are generally short lived and often quickly lose their lush gn foliage (poppies
