Blithely spring forward!
Long ago and far away, almost every living room in our little Bavarian town had a plant called "Zimmer Linde."

These Abutilon hybrids, a hibiscus relative, are now undergoing a renaissance in the garden. New breeding has them bursting out all over. Heat- and humidity-tolerant, they add a new dimension.An excellent specimen is Orange Hot Lava, blooming in early June until fall with hundreds of dangling bell-shaped flowers.

Exciting euphorbia promise you stellar garden performance in borders and containers. Their vigor and habit is strong and the beautiful foliage provides a graceful textural element. Several outstanding euphorbia will be in the garden centers this spring: Shorty with blue-green foliage, which mellows to a soft green tinged with glowing rosy tips in fall; Glacier Blue, icy blue foliage contrasting with delicatemargins; and "Blackbird," an exceptionally deep purple foliage, which will darken to almost black in late summer. Euphorbia bloom between March and May and their height ranges from 15-18 inches. Consider them as a wise investment, providing pleasure for many years to come.

When you hear plum pudding, peach flambe, marmalade, caramel or brownies, you immediately connect thesemouth-watering treats with a great kitchen. But no! These are this year's new, robust heuchera, heat loving and a great choice for dry shade areas. Colors include such delectable treats as chocolate, honey/apricot, lime andmocha with burgundy veins.

As I look through the newest catalogs, I cannot ignore the fact that somany new cultivars bear names that whet your appetite:

Campanula "Milkshake," a pink bellflower with green-flecked chartreuse foliage, blooms from June to September.

Digitalis "Spice Island" has been added to the list of foxgloves, which perform so well in New Jersey. This one is a remarkable new hybrid with peachy-yellow flowers that are dusted nutmeg and evergreen glossy leaves.

A gaillardia called "Oranges and Lemons" promises to keep you good company as you enjoy your breakfast. It is a color and form breakthrough with cantaloupe colored flowers and tangerine tips, blooming summer to fall. Ideal for our area, it loves sandy soil.

Finally, an amazing new hosta sport of "Northern Exposure" called "Eskimo Pie." The blue-green leaves are highlighted by a large creamy central pattern.

Coming attractions:

This segment should have been included in the February column, considering the 60+ degrees we had last month.

However, it's still an option if you want to rush spring. Cut a few branches of early flowering shrubs and trees now and force them into bloom indoors. Place them in a vase with tepid water and they will go from bare branch to flowery bouquet in just 10 days. Candidates for forcing include redbud, crabapple, quince, dogwood, flowering cherry, pussy willow, pear and forsythia.

National Arbor Day is just around the corner (April 25). Grab a shovel and get ready to plant a tree, but wait … do it correctly: Dig the hole two to three times the width of the root ball. Do not dig deeper than root ball depth. Sides of the hole should slant gradually outward at the top.

For bare-root trees, neatly cut away any

broken or damaged roots. Soak the roots for a few hours prior to

planting to allow them to absorb

water. Remove plastic

containers from containergrown

trees. Carefully cut

through any circling roots.

Balled and burlapped

(B&B) trees should have all

of the ropes cut. Pull the burlap at least a third of the

way down and slit remaining burlap on side and bottom to encourage root growth.

Plant the tree: Gently place the tree in the hole. Partially backfill with the soil from the hole, water copiously to settle the soil, then finish backfilling the hole. Tamp the soil gently, but do not step on the root ball. Make sure no air pockets form between roots.

A few tidbits:

Remove tags and labels. Do not stake unless the tree has a large crown, or if the planting is situated on a site where wind may push the tree over and stake for a maximum of one year.

Wait until next year to fertilize. Spread 2-3 inches of mulch over the planting area. Make sure the root ball has plenty of water throughout the year. Then enjoy your tree and watch it grow.

A word to those gardeners who rely on inertia and don't want to tweak their mix of plants: you may have plants that listen and obey, do their thing and then fade away. This is fine and will give you a rewarding retreat. But, if you want an image makeover for your garden, be sure and get out there to see the new plants that will surely raise your pulse. Unleash the idea virus!

Gotti Kelley is past president of the Navesink Garden Club and serves on the board of the Garden Club of New Jersey