Daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, muscari, tulips – the riot of colour that heralds the end of short dark days and long winter nights is more welcome this year than ever before. But don’t forget the beauty of an early flowering shrub or tree. Gardening editor, Carissa Casey, picks three bloomers that are both easy to source and to grow.

The sky is still leaden and the trees bare of foliage when the Magnolia bursts into bloom. These magnificent trees are often the first to flower in spring, as early as mid-February in the right spot. Their huge open flowers perch on skeleton branches and are the perfect backdrop for emerging spring bulbs.

Surprisingly for such an elegant bloom, the Magnolia flower is tough. Dating back some 20 million years, Magnolias are older than bees and their toughness dates from this time when they relied on beetles for pollination. Their carpels – the innermost whorl of the flower – was hard and inedible to protect the female part of the flower and the all-important ‘egg’ from been eaten by the pollinating beetles. The Magnolia’s petals are actually called tepals, being that little bit more robust than those on the average flower. 

As for the proliferation of Magnolias throughout the west, including Ireland, we can thank the dedicated gardeners and plant collectors of the Victorian era. While most Magnolias are found in China, there are some native to the southern United States, and both were introduced and hybridised by the Victorians. The trees are still to be found adorning the front garden of properties dating from that era. Spectacular displays can be found in old country estates, for example at Farmleigh just outside the Phoenix Park in Dublin.   

Most Magnolias will thrive in sunny sheltered sites. The only danger to a successful show of blooms is a late hard frost which can damage the emerging buds. Otherwise, they are among the easiest trees to grow. Once flowered, the leaves emerge and, if kept well-watered in dry periods, should put on a decent amount of growth before Autumn arrives. 

There are plenty of varieties to choose from, including ones that will suit a small garden and even a large container.

Acid Lovers

Camellias are another flamboyant bloomer but even out of flowering season make beautiful shrubs. Their glossy dark leaves are evergreen and provide year-long interest to a shady corner of the patio. Like Rhododendrons they need an acid soil, so unless you have that already in your garden, it’s probably easiest to grow both as container specimens. The only proviso is neither like day-long direct sunlight which, let’s face it, isn’t that much of an issue in Ireland. On the plus side they are hardy specimens and will survive all but the worst frost. 

While both plants require a little extra care, particularly when they are laying down buds for the following season, the sheer magnificence of their flowers, makes the effort well worthwhile. 

They are primarily native to Asia. Camellia Japanonica, the Irish garden variety, is actually a close relative of the Tea Plant (Camellia Sinensis) and sometimes called the . The Rhododendron is the national flower of Nepal and a close relative of Azaleas. They arrived in Ireland in the Victorian period and, as a visit to any country estate, particularly in mountainous terrain and in the west of Ireland, the Rhododendron was particularly loved by gardeners of that era.

The variety Rhododendron Ponticum, with its purple blousy blooms, adapted so well to Irish conditions it is now regarded as an invasive species. Great swathes of this dense shrub  cover mountainous areas – most notably around Killarney – that it threatens the delicate ecosystem that our native plants need to survive.  

Both specimens have been extensively hyrbridised and the only issue for the would-be gardener is choosing between one glorious colour and the next. 

And now to the issue of the right soil to keep them happy. In the wild, both Camellias and Rhododendrons thrive on mountain sides where the soil is more acidic than that in low lying areas. They are known as ericaceous plants, after the Latin name for heather (erica), another plant that thrives on mountainsides. Any decent garden shop will stock what is known as ericaceous compost with enough acidity to mimic mountainy soil.  

Once the plants have bloomed, anytime from early to late spring depending on the variety, they begin laying down buds for the following year. This is the time to feed them, with an ericaceous feed, needless to say. From about April through to September, mix the feed liquid with the correct amount of water, according to the instructions and give your Camellias and Rhododendrons a good soaking. 

During the summer, it’s best to keep both in dappled shade. This helps maintain moisture levels. If there is one thing neither likes is a drought, and that’s always a danger with container grown plants. Keep the soil damp and check regularly during hot spells.

Neither particularly likes exposed conditions, so place them near a wall or fence which can act as a windbreak.

Finally, be careful about placing them in deep shade. Both Camellias and Rhododendrons need some amount of sunlight in order to thrive.