Spring flowers
16/02/2025
This morning we woke up to a layer of snow. This blog may come a bit early, but the longing for those first blooms is, as every year, very strong and with weather forecasts of 15°C at the end of this week, one can only dream. If you look closely, you can already see one peeping here and there. The snowdrops are already in full glory, the leaves of the first crocuses are visible and those of the cuckoopint are also emerging.
Spring bloomers hold the promise of spring. They owe their popularity to their early flowering, from February to April. They are hardy and often have underground bulbs, tubers or root nodules to survive the cold season. Many species grow low to the ground for protection from cold and early frosts. Because the trees are not yet in leaf, they have access to sunlight and water now. Many spring bloomers can therefore be found in sheltered semi-shaded spots.
Spring blooms sometimes bring to mind fairy tale scenes, especially in a forest context. You must have seen them, white rolling endless carpet of wood anemones, the purple version with lesser periwinkle or the fresh yellow lesser celandine you find on roadsides and forest edges. One that I only got to know when we moved here is the fumewort, a very delicate purple-rose flower, just wonderful. By April my absolute favourite blooms, bear garlic. It our beautiful valleys turn completely white and you suddenly find yourself immersed in a garlic scent. Its purple competitor, of course, is the widely acclaimed bluebells in the beech forests, also quite special.
Not quite convinced yet? Here are some more beautiful examples for inspiration: the slender primrose, spotted lungwort, white or yellow deadnettle, cuckoo flower, and bugle. Enjoy those first blooms! There are also spring bloomers on the trees, the hazels are the first with their long yellow male catkins. I also find the willow quite special with its felty white buds that then explode into beautiful green-yellow tassels. On a sunny spring day, a flowering willow is buzzing with bees, bumblebees, butterflies and hover flies coming to forage there! Just a little more patience and we can enjoy spring!
Spring bloomers are an asset to any ecological garden. They are not only beautiful and colourful (mostly white, yellow, purple) but provide bumblebees and bees waking up from their winter sleep with their first nectar and pollen. Hence, these are an extremely important food source for insects in the cold spring. With spring flowering bulbs, you can start the boom calendar in your garden as early as February. Many are also ideal ground covers for the sheltered spots in your garden, where other plants often find it harder to take root.
Many spring bloomers are also 'stinsen'plants, plants that are not originally from here, but were introduced from the 16th century onwards in gardens of castles and estates, thrive here and are now widely feral and established. Our insects have also adapted to them and so they are also an added value to our biodiversity. When it comes to flower bulbs, I prefer these stinsen plants as well as naturalising bulbs that are hardy and expand every year, such as crocus, grass lily, winter aconite, wild daffodil and grape hyacinth. It is also best to buy flower bulbs with EU organic label , otherwise you risk introducing pesticides into your soil which will then have a negative impact on your soil life.
Not quite convinced yet? Here are some more beautiful examples for inspiration: the slender primrose, spotted lungwort, white or yellow deadnettle, cuckoo flower, and bugle. Enjoy those first blooms! There are also spring bloomers on the trees, the hazels are the first with their long yellow male catkins. I also find the willow quite special with its felty white buds that then explode into beautiful green-yellow tassels. On a sunny spring day, a flowering willow is buzzing with bees, bumblebees, butterflies and hover flies coming to forage there! Just a little more patience and we can enjoy spring!
Comments
- Ja de lente is op komst. Naast die mooie voorjaarsbloeiers jammer genoeg ook het eerste stuifmeel ( wilg, zwarte els ) waar ik jammer genoeg allergie voor heb ontwikkeld. Het niezen en dichtzittende neus is al begonnen ( maar ik heb het er voor over 😊) (Johan)
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