April is a wonderful month. We still have the early flowering shrubs looking good as well as the glorious spring plants exploding into life. Really, trying to choose a special plant for the month is impossible, with the Hellebores looking great, the Ribes looking particularly good this year and of course the magnificent show the spring bulbs put on for us. However, the plant I have chosen this month is one of my favourites, the Amalanchier lamarckii. A very useful small tree or large bush, it gives you a great show throughout the year.
Amelanchier lamarckii in full bloom
At this time of year it is covered with a light open white blossom that catches every breeze .
Amelanchier blossoms
Once the blossoms have gone, the plant produces small black berries that attract the birds into the garden. But it leaves the best until last. Amelanchier’s autumn show is nothing short of spectacular. It’s Spring show is pretty good too. Underplant with classic yellow daffodils or a sea of Myosotis alpestris (Forget-me-nots) or why not both. It is pretty compact also, so don’t worry about it taking over the garden.