Happy Friday, GPODers!
Early spring is a thrilling time in the garden. The first shoots of color and vibrant hues of new growth can be as exhilarating as the peak display of big blooms that comes later in the season. However, I understand why many gardeners are not necessarily eager to showcase their early spring landscape. New growth and early flowers are exciting, but they can also be sporadic and some areas of the garden are often much slower to wake up than others. But bare spots and all, we celebrate the beauty of these scenes at Garden Photo of the Day, and today we’re enjoying some early spring glory from Linda in Kinmundy, Illinois (Zone 6). We first saw Linda’s garden back in February (Linda’s Flower Gardens in Illinois), and she shared the transition her landscape is currently going through as she shifts to lower-maintenance plants. Yet this period of transition does not appear to be affecting her spring performance, as color and interest are already popping up around every corner.
Showing off my spring garden is like having guests arrive early to a party while I’m still in the middle of preparations. But I hope that fellow gardeners, like friends, will cut me some slack. I mentioned in my first GPOD submission that I was trying to make my garden lower maintenance as I got older and one of the things I was focusing on was Japanese maples. Before I started growing them, I thought of them as mainly for fall color, but they are fabulous in the spring. So welcome to my party!
Hellebores, Siberian squill (Scilla sibericaZones 3–8) and heuchera
I popped this magnolia behind the garden shed 20-some years ago and never got around to moving it.
I started a meadow of spring bulbs inside this circle of crabapples, but it isn’t ready for prime time yet.
The maples just add so much color.
Here’s a closer look at Linda’s new Japanese maples as they add vibrant bursts of red to her lovely green landscape in spring.
Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanicaZones 3–8) along the rock wall and a peek at another maple
Shredded umbrella plant (Syneilesis aconitifoliaZones 3–8) that I just started with one small plant
Linda can say her garden is “still in the middle of preparations,” but all I can see is gorgeous new growth and a wonderful mix of textures and colors that serve as the opening act to her garden’s stunning performance.
While Linda’s garden hasn’t yet erupted into the bright mix of hues we saw in her first submission, I adore the smaller pockets of color that become focal points in these verdant spring scenes. A small fuchsia azalea is packing a big punch in this lush foundation planting.
This bed is in full sun and has lots of perennials now. As the maples grow, I will transition to ground covers and rhododendrons for less maintenance.
Thank you so much for sharing your garden with us again, Linda! Having to rework your designs or downsize your beds is an inevitable part of gardening, and it is inspiring to see you take this needed change in stride while creating beautiful gardens along the way.
What changes are you excited to see in your garden this year? Did you plant some new additions last fall or are new designs starting to mature? Let us know in the comments, or consider sharing photos of your garden changes and upgrades with the blog. Follow the directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.
You can also send 5–10 photos to (email protected) along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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