Bruce Crawford

By and large, spring ephemerals require a bit of trial and error before a gardener can understand how best to use them in the spring garden. By definition, this group of plants emerge in early spring, flower, set seed and enter dormancy all before or around the start of summer. Their strategy is to complete their annual reproductive cycle before the tree canopy is fully leafed-out and competition for sunlight and water becomes more intense. For the gardener, the challenge becomes how to...

There is an old saying that “good things come in threes.” Supposedly, it stems from an ancient belief that three of something is complete and ideal. Hence, “third time is the charm” and, should you have the good fortune of finding a Genie, you might be the beneficiary of three wishes! Even in the world of gardening, arranging plants in groups of three makes them look more natural. One plant that certainly embodies the beauty of three is the genus of Trillium, as displayed by the image of...

Snowflakes are magical! Even after this past winter, I suspect most people will still admit snowflakes have a certain enchanting quality. However, for some gardeners, snowflakes do not come from the air but from the ground! Leucojum vernum or Spring Snowflake is among the first of the bulbs to come into bloom, often beginning in February while the ground is still covered beneath an icy blanket (as pictured below in mid-February at Willowwood Arboretum). Like a good snowfall, the pendant...