April

If we perform our due diligence, spring will reward us with a bounty of colors, textures, and forms as plants fully burst into the season. We may think of such floral enthusiasm as limited to private gardens, but commercial, public, and open landscapes may still delight, even if we are trying to get to the office. To be more specific, due diligence over winter is well rewarded when we have taken the time to repair or modify irrigation, limit weed production, and ensure a good mulch layer. If you have ever seen a golf course or vineyard running irrigation during the wet season, you now know management was proactive in preparing for spring growth. We can do the same for any ornamental landscape.
In kitchen gardens, the first harvest is already starting. Cottage and perennial gardens should be displaying spring blooms. If your project is in the Sierras, it may be challenging to show patience if the snow is not melting fast enough. I will admit to fond memories of snowy Easter egg hunts with tulips popping through the glittery crystalline layer of white. Desert gardens will likely be in full bloom, making us forget there ever was winter. This is the bounty in California!