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| Daffodils |
Vancouver is alive with Daffodils of white and yellow right now. Daffodils are so cheerful, they can make the grumpiest person smile.
Another advantage to Daffodils, or Narcissi, is the bulbs are poisonous to eat. I am always so disappointed with Tulips because squirrels and raccoons find them delicious, and come spring, many of the Tulips are gone. Rodents do not eat Daffodils.
Some Daffodils can also tolerate partial shade and shade. Most Daffodils naturalize in the ground, meaning they come back year after year. Look for "Naturalizing" on the label of bulb bags and tags.
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| Heather |
Heather, or Erica carnea, is a resilient early bloomer. E. carnea comes in shades of red, pink, purple and white. In full sun, the entire small shrub is a mound of tiny flowers.
These come from the moors, so think rocky, inhospitable soil and sun.
Cut the branches back after blooming to maintain a full shape. With no pruning, E. carnea get leggy and the centres look dead.
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| Camellia |
Camellias are beautiful in spring. They do tolerate some shade, but bloom profusely in sun. Find a variety that does not rust, which is the look when flowers look rusty after a rain. This is especially important in rainy Vancouver.
Camellias are prone to many little bugs, and subsequently, sooty mold or aphid honeydew, the black that can coat leaves.
Camellias are also evergreen shrubs, so they provide some winter greenery.
