April Gardening and Spring's Sumptuous Display

April Gardening and Spring’s Sumptuous Display

How many shades of green can you find this spring?

by Beth Barrett.

Spring Splendor – Gardens (123rf.com)Nascent leaves are exploding and bursting forth on billowy deciduous trees and shrubs this month. As these initial leaves emerge, a wide array of green shades is on display. While on a recent drive home, I observed the many shades of spring foliage—lichen green, yellow-green, spring green, tea green, lime green, pistachio green, and mustard green—all against a backdrop of dark, towering evergreens.The color green evokes a calming presence. This cool hue is relaxing and soothing to the eye. It bridges the seasons and is a foundational color for a well-designed landscape. Take a walk this weekend with a friend, spouse, or grandchild. Challenge yourselves to identify some of the many shades of green. If you are wondering where to go, try North SeaTac Park, Des Moines Creek Trail, or Seahurst Park.

April Garden Tasks:

Garden tasks (123rf.com)

Prepare garden beds for planting.
Start your vegetable garden by directly sowing salad greens, Asian greens, Swiss Chard, and most herbs. Early varieties or cool-season vegetables can be sown outdoors this month: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, peas, and radishes.
Divide perennials.
Plant bare-root fruit trees, berries, and vines.
Plant hardy annuals, such as larkspur, love-in-mist, false Queen Anne’s Lace, and Bells of Ireland.
Manage spring weeds weekly while they are easiest to pull.

Visit area plant sales:

Hardy Plant Sale (image hardyplantsocietywa.org)April 14: Washington Native Plant SaleBellevue Botanical Garden10 am to 4 pmwww.wnps.orgApril 21: Hardy Plant Society of Washington Spring Plant SaleUW Botanic Gardenswww.hardyplantsocietywa.orgHappy Spring,Beth