My absolute favorite time in the spring is when the crocuses, and then the narcissus, are blooming. A close second is right now, when the trees are in flower, even if all that pollen makes my eyes itchy.  One of the prettiest early spring bloomers is Florida dogwood, or cornus florida. There’s something about those spreading branches, which I find very elegant. And the colors of the blossoms are always pretty without screaming at you like some of the azaleas.

Here’s a white dogwood. What’s not to love? I have been told that Korean dogwood, cornus kousa, is more disease-resistant. I like them both, but I think I love cornus florida a little bit more.

This is another of my favorites: creeping phlox, or phlox subulata. It’s peaking right now in RI, and I am seeing lush mounds of it everywhere, from rock gardens to slopes (where it prevents erosion) to flower beds. I’ve always found this plant easy to grow. It’s a good idea to shear it back after it flowers to keep the foliage dense and bushy.