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“It’s the time of tiny leaves…delicate blossoms…and long graceful catkins…the time of fragile hues…gentle rains and the glowing days that sunshine brings.” Gwen Frostic

If you live where the four seasons of the year are immensely distinctive, not subtle or subdued, do you realize how lucky you are that those seasons are expressed by the changes in each tree? The summer brings breezes rustling through the leaves and shade for hot sunny days. Fall brings vivid foliage colors and a sweet fragrance embedded in your memory banks throughout time. Winter is not barren – it is the time of year that a tree exposes itself fully, demonstrating its boldness in structure and beauty all the while quietly regrouping.

And then Spring, a time of nature’s rebirth or reawakening, leaves budding and flowers blooming, birds singing, and bees returning. What could be more delightful to beckon you out into your garden but a flowering tree, one of our first signs of spring? And that spring flowering tree is a delight in moderate climates as well.

Trees, spring flowering or not, come in a large variety of sizes and shapes, flower types and colors. When choosing a tree for your garden these characteristics are a large part of the consideration. Do you want a patio tree (up to 20 feet) or do you have room for a larger scale tree that may reach 30 to 40 feet. Is there a leaf shape that is attractive to you? Or maybe what is important is the flower shape and color. Perhaps your garden has room for more than one tree and your considerations are bloom times and bloom colors.

We have a number of suggestions for you to ponder. Keep in mind the space in your landscape, and the size of tree vs. proximity to your house or scale of your house. Patio trees allow us to look out of your window at the beauty of a tree and see the structure, foliage and flowers from the first floor or second floor of your home. A larger tree might be best placed at a distance from your viewing window to allow you to appreciate all that it has to offer from a distance, rather than placing it close to your house where your best view may be only the trunk and bark. We do not want to understate the beauty of bark, but in all likelihood, that is not all that you desire to appreciate about your tree.

Patio trees – Growth to 20 feet

The Redbud (Cercis) is a tree valued for its heart-shaped leaves as well as its flowers and fruit. In the spring, the rosy blossoms are borne in large profusion on bare branches. Several species are available, the most common being Cercis canadensis or the Eastern Redbud and a variety, the burgundy foliage Forest Pansy. The Cercis occidentalis or Western Redbud, a native of California, Arizona and Utah, is also available over a wide growing zone region.

Dogwood (Cornus) is another wonderful deciduous tree offering attractive foliage and spectacular mid and late spring blossoms. In reality, these showy petal-like structures are bracts or modified leaves. But never mind the botanical techno-lingo, they are a beautiful spring show not to be missed!

Prunus is an enormous plant family of trees that includes not only beautiful flowering trees, but also flowering varieties that also bear edible fruits such as cherry, plum, peach, almond and many more stone fruits. For our gardens, we more often see the ornamental species which can be found in the two main categories of deciduous or evergreen. Probably the flowering plum, with its midwinter/spring pink blossoms giving way to red to purple foliage, is the most popular garden patio tree in the Prunus group. Almaden Valley Nursery recommends Krauter Vesuvius. It has some of the darkest leaves.

Midsize to Large Trees

Horse chestnut or Buckeye (Aesculus) trees are beautiful and showy in the spring. Another plus for these flowers is that hummingbirds just love them. The spectacular foliage is palmately compound (divided fanlike into 5-7 large, toothed leaflets). The ultimate tree height is dependant upon the variety of horse chestnut that you have chosen but the range is 20 to 40 feet.

Magnolias are simply magnificent flowering plants. Open any book on trees, look up magnolia and you will find a list so long, you will wonder how to pick the best one for your garden. That is when you need to consult your local garden nurseryperson. Spring flowers can come in white, pink, red purple and even yellow. Magnolias can be either evergreen or deciduous. Probably the most common to all of us is Magnolia soulangeana or the Saucer Magnolia. However, the Southern Magnolia or Magnolia grandiflora is well known too. We could include Magnolia under the patio tree section as well. Some varieties grow to only 20 feet.

Ornamental Pear (Pyrus not Prunus) is known for its profusion of early spring white flowers. In the spring, stroll into your yard and just listen - you will hear a low hum "hmmmmmmm," the sound of the bees gorging themselves on the flowers. It is simply amazing. And by the way, don't be alarmed if you are not a bee lover. These bees are busy with one task, collecting nectar and pollens. They really aren't the least bit interested in you.

Jacaranda is one beautiful tree, in bloom or not. But springtime covers this tree with a lavender blue tubular flower show. There is also a white flower variety available, but not as commonly seen. The foliage is finely cut, fernlike leaves that fall in late fall/winter. These tiny leaves just disappear in the blades of your grass, so no raking! And the flower show will repeat in the form of a beautiful lavender dusting of fallen flowers under the branches of the tree.

Tamara was born and raised in Oklahoma City. Coming to Humboldt, CA one summer to study Transcendental Meditation, she decided to pursue this further and spent 9 months in Europe becoming a TM teacher. Upon returning, she moved to California with her husband, and their daughter was born. Her daughter grew up attending school in Cupertino.

Tamara enjoyed working many years at Apple Computer, but her favorite company was the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, where she worked in their Environmental Program. Environmental issues are near and dear to her heart. (Are you composting yet?)

She has studied photography at SJSU and is currently a full time student in the Environmental Horticulture and Design Program at Foothill College. She is certified as a Pilates instructor, enjoys yoga, hiking, dancing and, of course, gardening.

My Celebrity Service staff and I look forward to serving you this year. We'll go out of our way to make your day!

Matt Lepow - President