Spring bloomers

In many parts of the world, the extremely short period between the melting of snow and the

first waves of heat is, by far, the most intense and thrilling time of the year. As a youth,

I endured lengthy winters in the Quebec countryside, where my only solace was the plant

catalogs I received in the mail, fueling my longing for spring. The May frenzy that I would

eventually put myself through didn't help my reputation as an odd, slightly challenged

child. I have since settled on the mileder WestCoast, where a much calmer spring gentiy

rolls in as the holidays are left behind, peaks over a couple of months, then seamlessly

merges into summer. Wherever spring is anxiously awaited,you can trust earlyflowering

perennials to provide a colorful celebration. Some spring bloomers are long lasting, putting

on a show for months on end, while others are ephemeral, leaving us almost as end, while

others are epemeral, leaving us almost as quickly as they came. No matter how long they

last, each of the following spring bloomer deserves a spot in your garden. These are a few

of my favorite vernal gems, sure to infuse life into garden after the winter finally melts away.