Walking (or driving) through the streets can be a boring and monotonous activity for many of us. During this time of year however, if your senses, particularly site and smell are alert you will be bombarded with the beauty and exuberance of nature waking from it’s winter hibernation. This week I am writing about three gorgeous spring flowering trees / shrubs which can be seen in all their flowering glory in almost all towns, cities and villages throughout the United Kingdom during March and into April.
Cherry Blossom Tree
The mature cherry blossom tree in the photograph taken in a local Manchester park is one of the genus prunus, most probably prunus serrulata – Japanese Cherry Blossom Tree of which their are many many varied cultivars. Many of the varieties that have been cultivated for ornamental use produce small and unpalatable fruit. Edible cherries generally come from cultivars of the related species Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus.
The pictured tree is a mature specimen probably forty to fifty years old. If you are thinking of planting a cherry blossom tree – you will be likely be presented with a dazzling array of shapes and colours in your local garden centre – just make sure you choose a variety which will not out grow the size of your garden!
Camellia
A stunning and very popular flowering shrub which will add a welcome splash of colour to your garden towards the end of winter and during the spring. There is even one particular variety Camellia sasanquawhich produces scented flowers during the autumn months. When choosing a camellia bear in mind that they are an ericaceous plant and so will thrive in acidic soil. Don’t worry if your soil is alkaline since camellias will also thrive in suitable sized containers which can be filled with a suitably acid compost.
Forsythia
With its cheery yellow spring blossoms usually thrown out on three metre long arching stems forsythia is a very popular garden plant here in the UK. It is generally an unfussy easy to grow deciduous shrub making it suitable for almost every UK garden. To ensure the best show of flowers each year prune your forsythia well once the last blooms have faded towards the end of spring. Some people even use forsythia as a hedging plant and it is certainly a site to behold during March and April when it is in it’s full flowering splendour.
