EARLY SPRING BUSHES --BUDDING, LEAFING OUT & FLOWERING

It's the grand time of year for flowering BUSHES and SHRUBS.  The popular bright, springtime yellow flowers of the flowering FORSYTHIA--which flowers before it leafs out--are always a sure sign that spring is here!  It's cheery, bright yellow four-petaled flowers, seen in yards galore, are a much welcome site for all of us who have eagerly awaited SPRING!   The FLOWERING ALMOND and LILACS are also plump with little buds, ready to burst in the coming weeks.  There are several varieties of forsythia--I like the arching, 'weeping' habit of the one I have, as opposed to the shorter, bush-type ones.  Check the label when you buy, to make sure you are getting the one you desire.  I also love the graceful arching habit of the FLOWERING ALMOND, which is completely covered with a beautiful true-pink to dark pink cluster-blooms before leafing out.  Lilacs will be blooming in late spring, bearing a variety of colors--anywhere from white, to light blue, purple, magenta, pink and yellow.  A bouquet of lilacs, with their wonderful aroma, can fill an entire room.  These bushes all like full sun, and average soil, although they will tolerate poor soil.  They need to be pruned immediately after blooming, to ensure a good supply of blooms the next year, as they bloom on old wood.  To rejuvenate older plants, remove one or two of the oldest stems, or branches each year, letting one or two of the strongest suckers grow, ensuring you always have a supply of new wood, regularly removing all other suckers.  Plants that are allowed to produce suckers will become overcrowded and unmanageable, which don't bloom well.  All of these bushes and shrubs can also be cut to within inches of the ground if they are over-grown or badly shaped and need to be rejuvenated.  I think these shrubs and bushes have added so much to the beauty of the yard, and if you don't have any, I highly recommend planting one or more this year!