Instead, consider the Cornelian cherry: It’s technically not a cherry, but it sure is cheery

Starved for color in the landscape after months of drab weather, many gardeners eagerly welcome the brash, chrome-yellow flowers of forsythia. Even though, in the watery light of early spring, the blooms have all the subtlety of a clashing cymbal interrupting a string quartet. I confess, I have a personal soft spot for this botanical blowhard—just not in my space-challenged garden. With a motley growing habit, mostly unremarkable foliage, and little to no fall interest, forsythia is a bit of a one-hit wonder; great for celebrating the end of winter but what do you do with it during the other months of the year.

I have a suggestion that offers plenty of cheer and far less clamor. Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) is actually not a true cherry, but a member of the dogwood family. This small tree is woefully underutilized in Pacific Northwest gardens.

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GROW in The Seattle Times