Garden

Unexpected early spring blossoms bring joy to passersby

Blooming daffodils and crocuses offer a friendly way to interact with neighbours.

By Carmen Spagnola /

Credit: Sharon Hanna

Sharon Hanna notes how the blooms of early-spring bulbs encourage us to slow down and appreciate the moment


Thanks to all the kind folks in my neighbourhood (and other neighbourhoods, too) who take the time to create beauty in out-of-the-way corners, under boulevard trees, and in laneways for others to appreciate.

Pictured above: A fine example of neighbourhood whimsy created by some lovely folks in Kits, somewhere around Stephens and 3rd Ave. Come on in, the water’s fine!

I think these unexpected plantings bring joy to passersby and spread good feelings. The little crocus seems to have minds of their own—who knows how they get from one spot to another?

yellow crocus

purple crocus

Crocus ‘Tommasinianus’, aka “Tommies,” are the early-blooming ones with smaller, harder dark yellow corms. They’re the ones you can plant in your lawn. The later, larger-flowered ones have big-netted corms and don’t spread like the Tommies, necessarily… but attract a zillion early bees when they open in the sunshine.

Anyway, ’nuff said.

Bulbs that naturalize to throw in here, there and everywhere:

– Crocus
– Anemone
– Snowdrops (best to grow these from plants, dug up after they bloom….they seem more successful than the bulbs)
– Winter aconite (the earliest to bloom)
– Muscari (Grape Hyacinth)


If you have any more ideas of things to tuck in unexpected places, let me know!

Happy spring, everyone!

The daffodil and crocus house

purple crocuses in bloom

daffodils / narcissi

snowbells