I am thrilled for the beginning of the spring season, which is right around the corner on March 20th! This past October, my family and I moved to North Andover. The former owners had planted zinnias along the front yard pathway, which lasted until the first snowstorm on October 30th. It was just wonderful to walk outside every morning and pick fresh flowers. We had such a wide variety of colors, it felt like walking into a floral shop! I am looking forward to visiting the Lake Street Garden Center Greenhouse with the kids to select a few zinnia plants for this year’s flower garden. We also saved several seeds from last year, which we intend on attempting to seed in a couple of weeks. After such a cold and long winter, I am really looking forward to the warmer days of spring when we can retire our winter coats and soak up some sunshine.
The following are some pictures of our zinnia flowers from last year’s garden:
If you do not prefer zinnias, there is a vast array of other options to choose from.
Hydrangeas come in many beautiful colors and are relatively low maintenance. In the past, we have made the mistake of planting the hydrangeas in a shady spot, resulting in beautiful lush green leaves but no blooms. Make sure to choose your hydrangeas’ home carefully in a nice, sunny spot.
Our rose of Sharon tree is right outside of the kids’ bedroom, which is extra special. This winter my son Lucas climbed the small tree after a major snowstorm, when we got two feet of snow. He enjoyed bouncing from the branches that he would not normally be able to reach. The tree survived the climb pretty well, so I conclude that rose of Sharon is rather robust.
Marigolds are such a classic annual flower and relatively easy to grow. Not to mention they bloom all summer and the golden colors are a nice addition to any garden. One of my fondest memories as a kid is planting marigolds in the garden.
Sunflowers have always been a favorite of my kids due to their beautiful bright blooms. We are hoping to plan a few of these in the front yard this year in addition to the zinnias.
The forsythia is a hearty, fast-growing shrub. It blooms early in spring and brightens up the landscape being of the first blooms that pop up after the winter.
Another flower that signifies the beginning of spring are crocus bulbs. They provide a wide variety of beautiful blooms. I recently learned that bulbs in general can be planted in the fall and early winter when the ground temperature is in the 40 to 50-degree range prior to the first frost.
Spring represents the hope of a new beginning and we all need that given how difficult these times have been. Gardening has always brought joy to my life and I am looking forward to turning the page on this pandemic and having fun in the garden this year. I hope that you will find some joy this spring as well.