Homegrown: Spring bloomers

Who knew we'd see lilacs starting to bloom by the end of March? This month has been atypical, to say the least, in Iowa.

Linn County Master Gardener, Lisa Slattery, notes some of her favorite perennials below.

See more photos of spring flowers on Homegrown's Facebook page and feel free to post your own. Facebook friends solved one mystery of a white-blooming shrub. Check out the page to see what it was.

Read the following to learn about spring perennials from Lisa:

This March weather is like no other I remember. My daffodils are done blooming, my tulips are  blooming, roses growing vigorously, clematis vines setting buds, even my hostas are poking through the ground.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have a killing freeze - and it's not even April.  But for now, I'm enjoying this warm weather and enjoying the blooms way ahead of schedule.  One advantage of seeing early blooms is that you can plan which of these pretty plants you wish to add to your yard for next Spring.  Spring flowers are more than crocus, daffodil, and tulips, there are great Spring blooming perennials to consider as well.

One that I planted last year is Bergenia cordifolia commonly called Pig Squeak.  Talk about terrific foliage - big, glossy leaves that turn redish- maroon in the fall.  These stay evergreen through winter and bloom in spring.  The Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis)is a another semi-evergreen spring bloomer.  This plant blooms early with bell-like flowers in creamy white, pale green, and lavender to darker burgundy.  I like these because the flowers are sometimes hidden by the foliage, adding to its charm.  Plant these in a protected area they don't handle winter winds well.

I love blue flowers and two of my favorites are Heartleaf Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla) and Common Forget-me-Not (Myosotis.)  The forget-me-nots can reseed a bit aggressively but when they all bloom there is a blue haze through my garden that is lovely.  I simply pull them when I get too many.  The Brunnera is similar but mounds taller (12 to 18 inches tall) and has large heart-shaped leaves that are either all dark green or mottled with silver/white foliage.

 Crested Iris (Iris cristata) is one of the few irises that bloom in shade.   Think of it as a miniature Iris, growing as a groundcover.  It only reaches 6 inches in height.  Flowers are smaller and without beards but very effective in the woodland garden.  They bloom in blue, purple, and white.  Another beautiful woodland native is Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica.)  These feature trumpet-shaped, light blue flowers, standing approximately 1 to 2 feet tall, but die back to the ground by early summer.

 Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata) is the brightly colored, almost florescent carpet-like plant that blooms for several weeks in spring.  It's only 3-6 inches tall which makes it ideal for rock gardens.  Lungwort or Bethlehem Sage (Pulmonaria saccharata) is another pink/blue bloomer that  mounds and is noted for its attractive foliage. The dark green leaves are often speckled with silvery white spots.  The foliage adds interest to the garden long after the blooms are gone.

I have Snowdrop Anemone (Anemone sylvestris) in my garden, a unique forest floor dweller that likes to be underneath other plants like ferns.  It's a pretty pop of white and tolerates shade.  This sweet flower is blooming very early for me this year as well.

If you see something blooming somewhere this Spring that you like - just ask the gardener - they usually love to answer questions!