Early Spring Blooms

As proof that Nova Scotia is a good place to grow heaths and heathers, we offer this photo of a rockery seen in the village of Chester. Rumour has it that some of the province's hardiest heathers are those that were first seeded accidentally, hundreds of years ago, in Halifax's Point Pleasant Park by sailors shaking out their straw-filled palliasses after a long sea voyage from Scotland. The descendants of those plants are still thriving in the park. Heaths are generally spring-blooming plants while heathers have a longer bloom season, with different varieties producing blooms from early summer through to the fall.

When forsythias are seen blooming in the first week of April in Chester, it's a sure sign that Spring has sprung early. This year's signs also include daffodils. Shown below is a clump of heritage daffodils growing in Herb Fraser's garden located on the outskirts of Chester.

Other plants currently in bloom on his property are the traditional spring-flowering hellebores,

...and the beautiful blue iris reticulata seen below.

Adding to the array of unusually early blooms, a clump of pulmonaria has responded to the warmth of the sun and is on display in Herb's garden . Even though the temperatures are forecast to fall slightly in the next few days, the trend is for higher than usual readings.

As always, members of the Chester Garden Club are invited to send photos of their gardens and surrounding areas for posting on the Club's website. Remember to send us your photos of plants in bloom on the 15th of April to mark Bloom Day North.
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