What's blooming in Ottawa?

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7 • POSTED ON May 23, 2005
What's blooming in Ottawa?
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After a long, cold winter we are fortunate to finally see some colour appear around us. Leaves have appeared on trees, plants have emerged and – lo and behold – there are flowers among us! Here is a selection of plants that are showing off their true colours this early in the season.

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After a long, cold winter we are fortunate to finally see some colour appear around us. Leaves have appeared on trees (or are in the midst of appearing), plants have emerged and – lo and behold – there are flowers among us! For those of you who have been unable to take a good look at what Mother Nature produced so far, here is a selection of plants that are showing off their true colours this early in the season.

The Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana) is an easy to maintain flowering deciduous shrub. It can grow to a height of approximately 20 to 30 feet, but it will take around 10 years to get there. Named for Pierre Magnol, botanist and physician to Louis XIV, Magnolias are native to Asia and North-America.

Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana) It is hardy in the Ottawa valley, but its blooms can suffer from late frosts. Magnolia – like Azalea and Rhododendron – grows best in acidic, moist but well-drained soils, amended with peat moss or compost. Its root system grows close to the surface, so be careful when cultivating planting beds or hoeing weeds nearby.

Little pruning is required unless to remove damaged limbs or to shape, something that should be done during the summer months when the plant is still young. Magnolias are also susceptible to transplant shock, so plan their location well.

Those of you in need of suitable planting for a shady garden should definitely consider Bergenia cordifolia. This evergreen perennial is as hardy as all out (zone 2) and flowers in early spring. Even after it has finished flowering, its broad, rounded leaves form a striking contrast with ornamental grasses and plants such as Iris. As an added bonus, the foliage turns purple-red in the fall. Bergenia is tolerant of a wide range of soils and will even grow in partial to full sun, provided the soil is moist enough.

Speaking of Iris, I have already seen the first clumps of Iris pumila – the dwarf bearded Iris – in flower. A mere 6 to 8 inches high, this wonderful early perennial comes in a wide range of colour (no wonder it was named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow). Great for rock gardens or for planting on a slope – it likes good drainage! – Iris will thrive in most soils in a sunny spot. When planting Iris - this little fellow as well as his taller cousins – make sure that the top of the rhizome (the “bulb”) is exposed; the most common mistake with Iris is that it is planted too deeply! Do not cover it unless your soil is very sandy.

Aubrieta or rock cress An excellent companion for Iris and spring-flowering bulbs is Aubrieta or rock cress. This easy to grow perennial forms a dense cushion of foliage smothered with flowers in early spring and is ideal for the rock garden, in the front row of the border or along a walkway. Cut it back hard after it has finished flowering to ensure it keeps its good looks.

Doronicum or Leopard’s Bane Doronicum or Leopard’s Bane is currently flowering in my own garden. This cheerful spring daisy bears a profusion of yellow flowers on slender stems. A woodland plant, it likes a semi-shaded spot in moist soil where it will develop into a 2 feet high and wide plant. Over the course the summer, the leaves of Doronicum disappear and by mid-summer you are hard pressed to find any trace of this plant, but it is hardy in the Ottawa area and it WILL return next spring!

Another permanent resident of my borders is Pulsatilla or (European) pasque flower. If you promise not to disclose any of this information to my wife, I will let you in on a well-kept secret: I have a thing for pasque flowers! Don’t ask me why but they do something to me. It’s not that they are the finest of flowers or that they bloom all summer long; I just love their soft grey-green leaves and their wide-open flowers that seem to be too big for a plant this size. For some reason, they always remind me of a nest of young birds that are about to be fed by Mommy or Daddy Bird.

Pulsatilla or (European) pasque flower

Once they fade, the flowers are replaced by feathery seed heads that move in the most gentle breeze. Pulsatilla is not very demanding and as long as you can provide it with a sunny location in well-drained soil, it will be quite happy to live in your garden.

This little list of “Ottawa Spring Bloomers” is by no means complete; in the past week alone, I have seen Azalea, Rhododendron, Narcissus, Forsythia, Sand Cherry and at least 5 other plants in full flower (have I already mentioned tulips?). It was merely intended to give you some “easy to grow” plant-ideas for your garden. If you would please excuse me now, I have to run outside and stare at my pasque flowers (rumour has it that fairies spend the night in the closed flowers).

Until next week, happy gardening.

René Trim

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About René
René Trim was educated and trained in The Netherlands, before moving to Canada in 2000. After studying the differences in climate and season faced by Ontario gardeners he established Trim Garden Design and Rescue in May 2002. A gardener since the 1980’s, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience, a vast library of reference materials from which to draw answers to various garden situations as well as an enthusiastic and professional staff.