Here in New England, Forsythia shrubs herald the arrival of spring like nothing else in the landscape and April is their time to shine.
Forsythia is not native to the United States but originated in Asia and started to appear in Europe around the mid-1800’s with American hybrids coming along around the time of World War I. Also known as ‘Golden Bells,’ Forsythia was named after the Scottish botanist, William Forsyth (1737-1804), a founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society. (from A Brief History of Forsythia by Mary Ellen Hammond, March 2017)
Although Forsythia have become commonplace, that doesn’t make them any less glorious! Even on the grayest days, they are beacons of light in the landscape. You’ll find many older shrubs growing along roadsides and creeping into shady woods where the blooms may be sparse but still a treat to our winter-weary eyes.
Forsythia are sun-lovers, so for the showiest blooms give these beauties at least six hours of sunlight daily. Other than that, these hardy shrubs will grow in just about any soil and even tolerate dry conditions once they’ve matured. In addition, they don’t seem to be bothered by pests or disease, and even the voracious whitetail deer leave them alone!
Another plus with Forsythia is the wide range of sizes and shapes now available to the American gardener. Tall, spreading and arching types can quickly fill out into impressive specimens, reaching 8 to 10 feet in height and width at maturity. Left to grow wild on their own, sprawling hedges can form over time, for when the long arching branches eventually touch the ground, they take root and make another shrub. But don’t let the vigorous nature of these larger shrubs scare you off, for there are many petite or dwarf varieties which are perfect for the average-sized home garden.
A Forsythia blooming alone is indeed a beautiful thing but when planted with flowering companions, the effect can be enchanting. How wonderful that Forsythia bloom at the same time as cheerful daffodils and other bulbs! You’ll find that even a small shrub makes a big statement when underplanted with complementary bulbs and early blooming perennials.
One thing to note is that the color of Forsythia blooms can be anything from a soft primrose yellow to deep gold, depending on the variety, so consider these cool or warm hues when choosing flowering companion plants.
It can be helpful when shopping at your local plant nursery to group some shrubs or plants together with your choice of Forsythia to get a better idea of how the colors will look combined in your garden. If you already have a Forsythia, clip a flowering sprig to take along with you. That said, winning color combinations can be created with Azaleas, Cherries, Quince, Pieris and more. One of my personal favorite vignettes is Forsythia underplanted with the sparkling periwinkle blue flowers of Vinca!
Easy-care Forsythia grows best in USA Hardiness Zones 5 – 8 and makes the perfect shrub for beginning gardeners!
