Bring on spring – plant a spring pot with gardener Linda Schilén
Spring at last!
For me, it is nature that signals that the empty outdoor pots can finally be filled with crisp greenery and tender, frost-resistant flowers. A bit like Ida sings in the song: “You shouldn’t think it’s summer unless someone gets moving”. And I am moving!
First up is the entrance – the place I wake up first from its winter hibernation. It’s amazing that just one little garden primrose can create such a colorful effect with its vibrant, pastel colors! I guess that’s one of the great advantages of the early gardening season – it doesn’t take many flowers to make a big and colorful difference in the gray surroundings. By the way, did you know that cowslip translates in Latin as ‘the first herb of spring’?
I want many varieties
But of course I can’t be satisfied with just one flower – I want many! By arranging them in different pots, I reinforce the feeling of the season I’ve been longing for. Periwinkles, pearl hyacinths, pansies and violets are obvious choices, but I also like to go for goldenrod and ranunculus. Goldenrod is a favorite because the flowers are multicolored – one flower can be pink, white and yellow, while another can alternate between cerise, red and orange. Perfect for color matching with other flowers!
Early spring flowers may be able to withstand the cold, but they need to be looked after if they are to bloom for a long time. This means that overblown flowers should be cut back – it’s easy to do and will both prolong flowering and provide a cozy moment of crafting.
Tulips and daffodils
In the pots of the greenhouse, the tulips have started to bloom, a safe place for these otherwise sought-after delicacies for deer. Easter and Pentecostal lilies, with their characteristic little trumpets, are also blooming here. The trumpet of the Pentecostal lily is short, while that of the Easter lily is long – and both are appreciated by bumblebees, who like to crawl into the cylindrical flowers to collect nectar and pollen. Sometimes they even take a little nap in there – how cute is that? Other important pollinator plants this early in the season are hyacinths and willows. Planting flowers that favor bees, bumblebees and butterflies is a given in my pots.
The transition to spring
I cover the soil around the plants with dried scrub from the flowerbeds – leaves, last year’s eagle fern or other organic material that embeds the plants in a natural and harmonious way. It provides a nice transition between the gentle, early spring in the garden and the colorful flowers of the pots.
During the Garden Fair, you can meet Linda Schilén at her stand A29:20 and also attend her workshop where you will have the opportunity to plant your own spring pot. You will learn about composition, color theory and variety selection, mixed with smart tricks to make the flowers stay beautiful until summer. Linda also lectures on the Inspiration Stage on Friday, March 28 at 14.00 and Saturday, March 29 at 14.00 14.00.