“Anyone who thinks gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year; for gardening begins in January with a dream.” Josephine Nuese.

“April is a promise that May is bound to keep.” Hal Borland.

April is here!

April has arrived as March exited with temps in the high 80’s and with a taste of the summer to come. The spring flowers are blooming and the pecans are breaking buds. The knockout roses are beginning to shape up really well from late winter pruning while many other plants are leafing out. The bedding plants are beginning to grow and develop into strong plants for ultimate seasonal enjoyment, whether for flowers or food. Spring is here!

As you continue working in your yards and landscapes, let your motivation and enthusiasm guide you to learn more about plants. In so doing, certain colors and characteristics will tend to attract you to specific plants, more so than others. Below are some plants that offer various qualities which help to beautify the landscape and grounds throughout the season and year.

Jasmine (Jasminum): There are very few vines that can challenge jasmine for appearance and fragrance. It is easy to grow and produces beautiful flowers (white or yellow) in clusters whose fragrance can be detected across the property. They bloom in late winter and early spring. However, the Arabian jasmine flowers throughout the year in many locations. Jasmines prefer full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soils. They can climb upward to 15 feet or more and are deer resistant.

Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla): Lemon verbena stands up to its namesake. It offers a strong lemony flavor filled with a most delicious citrus taste. Packed with this desirable citrus flavor, thinly sliced leaves of lemon verbena add spice and scent to foods such as fish, salads, steamed vegetables, fruits and desserts. Also, the leaves can be used in preparing a refreshing summer tea. Lemon verbena prefers light shade and benefits from selective pruning. This shrub which reaches 6 feet tall and spreads of 6 feet wide generally blooms in late summer and early fall with flowers that can be collected and enjoyed as lemon bouquets indoors. It is easy to grow and offers deer resistance. Verbena bonariensis (tall vervain) and Verbena incompta (Brazilian vervain) may be invasive.

Lilac (Syringa): Even though common lilacs become leggy and take up space, they can provide a lavish, green screen or can be selectively pruned into a shapely, small tree. New dwarf lilacs afford you the opportunity to utilize these exciting plants in space-restricted areas such as flower borders and in containers. The dwarf Korean lilac, among other newer hybrids, bring the lilac fragrance closer to your patio for your personal enjoyment.

 Lilacs are easy to grow and prefer sunny locations in well-drained soils. They are drought tolerant and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Spirea (Spiraea): The delicate foliage and cascading branches of white or pink spring flowers make the spirea an excellent choice in the landscape bed. These characteristics bode well when designing it amongst the spring flowering bulbs. A traditional favorite among many gardeners is the bridal wreath spirea. Other cultivars offer attractive light-green or gold foliage which contrast effectively with purple-toned perennials and shrubs. Also, the compact spirea varieties serve well as mounding backdrops in those gardens with limited space. Spireas like full sun and prefer fertile, moist soils with good drainage. Spiraea japonica is invasive.

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia): Summersweet’s fragrant flowers bloom in late summer or early fall in spicy-scented white or pink clusters. Its dark green foliage turns bright yellow in the fall. It prefers partial shade and forms a colony of stems thus needing sufficient space to grow and develop. Summersweet is relatively easy to grow and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

Viburnum (Viburnum): Viburnums are very diverse in shape and foliage, thus offering special contributions to the landscape. Such contributions include attractive fall color, aromatic blooms, and  clusters of colorful fruits which attract overwintering birds. Viburnums prefer sunny sites that are well drained. These drought tolerant, deer resistant plants are easy to grow and attract birds and butterflies.

Weigela (Weigela florida): Weigelas are characterized by their arching stems which are covered in bell-shape flowers from late spring to early summer. Many new cultivars offer showy foliage in shades of gold, green, white, and rose for a display of color lasting all season. Reaching upward from a compact size to heights of six feet, weigela prefers well-drained soils in full sun with sufficient moisture. These plants are drought tolerant and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Yellow bells (Tacoma stans): Yellow bells like the heat and dry conditions. This tough plant has outstanding yellow trumpet-shape blooms from late spring through the fall. It can be grown as a shrub or in containers. Yellow bells prefer full sun to part shade and soils with good drainage. This drought tolerant plant attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

Continue to think in terms of native and sustainable plants in the landscape rather than those with invasive characteristics. Keep your hanging baskets and potted plants refreshed with water and food. Remember to feed and water the songbirds, and give your pets the care they need. Also, be on lookout for children playing and bicyclists riding along the streets and roadways throughout our communities as the weather continues its warming trend. And remember to safely share the road with motorcycles. Don’t drive distracted or impaired, and don’t text while driving. Help the homeless every chance you get. Let’s keep everyone safe while enjoying the spring season!

Many thanks to all who read this column which is an effort to provide each reader with timely and useful information. It is a small contribution on my part in “paying it forward” to my readers. In keeping with this thought, many of you know that we are planning our annual mission trip to the Peru this summer. We are currently raising funds to help finance this mission trip (discipleship journey). If you feel led to do so and would like to donate to this cause, please make a check payable to Heritage Church and mail to Eddie Seagle, Peru Mission Team, 108 Tallokas Circle, Moultrie, GA 31788. We would appreciate your prayers for a safe journey as well, and many thanks to each of you.

“For this reason I kneel before the Father… I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” Ephesians 3:16-17.