Check out spring flowering trees

In the dark of winter, with cold and rain, it can begin to seem like spring will never come, that unending gloom is all we have to look forward to. But before we know it, the earliest deciduous trees and shrubs will begin to flower, ushering in the beginning of longer days and warmer weather. If you have a bare spot in your garden that cries out for a tree with spring color, check with the garden centers now -- both bare root and container-grown deciduous ornamentals are available.

Look for the tree or shrub of your dreams before bare root stock is sold out, since the price is considerably lower than for the same plant already established in a container. But not all plants can be successfully sold as bare root. Magnolias are a case in point: Their fleshy roots do not take well to being exposed, and they must be transplanted with care if they are to thrive, so they are only sold in containers.

Certainly among the most spectacular of the flowering trees are the deciduous magnolias. Available in a range of colors, flower forms and sizes, and with different mature heights and widths, these trees produce the most abundant blooms in early spring, but often respond to our mild climate by throwing sporadic flowers all year.

A quick check in Sunset Western Garden Book revealed a chart of magnolia cultivars seven pages long, though not all would be readily available locally. Every gardener recognizes the Saucer Magnolia or Tulip Tree (M. x soulangeana) with huge flowers in shades of white, pink, mauve and purple. Other species and cultivars can also be found in garden centers now, with flowers of yellow, cream and burgundy. All are excellent garden trees, some suitable for very small gardens. And some are tolerant of the higher watering needs of a surrounding lawn.

One of my favorite garden trees is the Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum). Small size, good fall color, deep roots, tidy habits, cold and heat tolerance, beautiful form, shiny winter fruit and dainty but abundant white flower clusters all add up to a superb tree suitable for any size garden. Another asset: The decorative red fruit provides winter food for birds. Cities plant them as street trees because they are so adaptable and rarely crack sidewalks or pavement. Some are available as bare root -- check Sunset Western Garden Book and with your nursery professional for detailed information.

You might also consider redbuds. Eastern redbuds (Cercis canadensis) require some supplementary irrigation in our climate but are also excellent lawn trees as well as patio trees. The western native redbuds (C. mexicana and C. occidentalis) are drought tolerant and better suited for natural landscapes. All have tiny but abundant flowers, usually in bright magenta.

Flowering cherries are often planted for their spectacularly generous flowering habit but do have their challenges in our climate. Prone to suckering from the base and with many surface roots, they need to be sited carefully to take advantage of their assets and minimize their drawbacks. Flowering plums and crab apples are usually better mannered but some can also have determined surface roots with some suckering. Become an educated purchaser -- check with your nursery professional so that you are sure to select a tree that will please you over the years and won't become a maintenance problem.

Many flowering deciduous shrubs are available now as well. Though gardeners here often favor evergreen shrubs, careful siting can make the spectacular spring flowering of deciduous shrubs well worth their bare winter appearance. Stay tuned for more information on some especially desirable deciduous shrubs.

-Sharon Hull