The weather’s beautiful today, and even though it’s still winter until mid-April, we’re dreaming in color of the first flowers that will break through the snow.
Can you smell the sweet air? We too – we live in denial – and after some (nicely) obsessive research, we’ve made a list of the first flowers to grow this spring. Imagine pointing to one and naming it after the family or your seasonal crush – just wow.
Late April (April 21-30)
1.tulips (Tulipa)
We’re talking here about early tulips, the first to grow in Quebec. They grow throughout May and into early June.
The name tulip has foggy origins, but one possible explanation is that it comes from the Turkish word for “turban”, as it was fashionable to wear these flowers on one’s turban in the Ottoman Empire. Tulips are traditionally given to your mother for Mother’s Day, which this year is Sunday May 11 (so make a note in your diary).
There are around 120 varieties of tulip, and they come in many colors, from white to yellow, pink to mauve and orange to red.
In Montreal, you’ll be able to see them everywhere, but you’ll especially be able to pick them at one of Tulipes Canada’s two U-pick sites (by reservation only), one in Laval and the other in Boucherville. Last year, the Old Port of Montreal held a Tulip Festival to bring the bouquet to the city, but we’re waiting to hear more before releasing any details!
2.native Quebec plants
Now’s the time to spot them around Montreal and name them with an expert air. No picking, please!
Among the flowers that will be growing in late-April, we have;
- Crocus (Crocus Sativus)
- Lily of the valley(Convallaria majalis)
- Narcissus (Narcissus)
- Primrose (Primula Eliator)
- Forget-me-not (Myosotis Sylvatica)
And in May…
May sees the dramatic blossoming of flowering trees: cherry, magnolia (during the second week of the month), serviceberry and crabapple. And, as promised, we give you the visuals and scientific names;
- Japanese cherry (Prunus Serrulata)
- Magnolia (Magnolia Grandiflora)
- Amelanchier (Amelanchier Canadensis)
- Apple tree (Malus Baccata)
Where do we go to see them?
First of all, we’re going to the Montreal Botanical Garden, because it houses an impressive collection of flowers, plants and trees on its 75 hectares. We get a lot of our information from its spring flowering calendar and can’t wait to go and see them.
Afterwards, we head to Parc du Mont-Royal. Hikers and walkers can admire the flowers and the budding leaves in the trees. Les amis de la montagne also offer guided tours to discover the therapeutic benefits of the mountains. We believe in it and, just thinking about it, we’re already calmer.
For a more intimate floral experience, explore Mount Royal Cemetery and Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery, where magnolias, lilacs and apple trees in bloom offer a peaceful and moving spectacle.
Saint Joseph’s Oratory is another favorite spot for flower lovers. Its formal and English gardens offer a formal and romantic atmosphere, where flowers bloom from May to late summer.
And in the city, it’s wild…
In Montreal’s various neighborhoods, parks and landscaping are decked out in their finest spring colors. Go to Westmount Park, Chinatown, Ahuntsic Park or Île-de-la-Visitation Nature Park to admire the cherry blossoms and tulips.
In the heart of downtown, take in the hidden gardens of Christ Church Cathedral, the floral installations of the Quartier des spectacles and the tulip beds of Sherbrooke Street in the Quartier du Musée.
On the river, Parc Jean-Drapeau also offers a beautiful palette of colors, with its tulips and narcissi.
That’s it! See you in spring, and we’ll be adding more flowers, parks and tips as the dates become clearer …