Column: “The Garden Girl” – Every Saturday at 2pm on Claycord.com

Each year in the nursery when we get our first glimpse of spring, I am reminded of some of my favorite early blooming shrubs, groundcovers and perennials. Its almost like old friends coming back in to your life, you look and say, “hey, there you are” It is a nice feeling.

Veronica Georgia Blue is one of those blooming groundcovers that stir up those kinds of feelings. This low growing plant has delicate looking foliage of dark green. As the new growth emerges, the leaves take on a burgundy hue. Sometime around March Veronica Georgia Blue begins to bloom, although this year it’s already blooming. Tiny, cobalt blue flowers cover the stems of this groundcover. The flower looks a lot the six-pack plant called lobelia. Don’t let the resemblance influence you. Veronica Georgia Blue is a sturdy, Claycord worthy groundcover that is tolerant of full sun, likes regular sprinkled water and will spread 2’wide. This type of groundcover is perfect beneath roses, along borders or in flowerbeds. The faded blooms of the Veronica Georgia Blue should be sheared away. At that time give the plant a dose of fertilizer, and the Veronica will begin to bloom all over again. You can expect two to three blooming cycles for a total of four months of bloom.

The first plant name that I ever wanted to learn about was the mounding grass-like evergreen called Sea Pink. While on a yard walk with my then future mother-in-law I spotted these grassy mounds with sturdy stems growing from the base. Atop the stems were pink pom-pom shaped flowers. This little plant was darling. Sea Pink thrives in both full and partial sun. It like sprinkled water more than drip irrigation. As Sea Pink spreads it becomes a great front row for a perennial bed. As it matures it becomes like the sea. When planting Sea Pink, install 3-5 plants offset about 1’ from each other. Companion plants that would be perfect planted along with Sea Pink would be Lime Thyme with its light green leaves and tiny pink flowers, and Geranium Rozanne with her magenta pink summer blossoms.

Ribes sanguineum ‘Claremont’ is a faithful spring blooming California native shrub. Before the leaf emerges on this Ribes, pendant clusters of pink flowers dangle, like ornaments. Since the flowers need not compete for attention from leaves, it makes the floral display fantastic. Ribes s. ‘Claremont’ will reach 8’tall and wide, and prefers part sun location. During the summer months, the Ribes sits quiet in the landscape, hardly noticeable, but once fall begins to creep closer, the foliage of the Ribes changes to brilliant red. The transformation is fantastic. Combine the Ribes in a garden with winter blooming Daphne and summer flowering sticky money bushes for a low water, no fertilizer type of area.

The fragrance of the pink jasmine vine called Jasminum polanthum will take you back to spring. It has a sweet fragrance, like cotton candy with a slight floral touch. Pink buds open to expose the fragrant white petals. The flower of the pink jasmine last only 4-6 weeks, but this vine is well worth it. The pink jasmine vine stays evergreen all year and will successfully trail over along a fence or over an arbor. It is OK to mix vines together for extended bloom. Yellow blooming Carolina Jasmine and Pink Bower Vine would really keep the flowers coming for months.

When these plants begin to bloom, I know that spring is nearing, and there will be more flowers to come. Usually it also means the drab days of winter will soon be behind us. This year….I’m just happy to get to enjoy these blooms sooner.

Happy Gardening.

Nicole Hackett is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio and Gardens. She writes for the Clayton Pioneer Newspaper, and Claycord.com. Nicole is the Clayton Valley Garden Club 2012 President.

Email your questions to thegardengirl@claycord.com

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