Forsythia are non-native shrubs related to olives and are mostly residents of Asia. The plant genus is named to honor William Forsyth, a Scottish botanist and royal gardener from the late-18th century who, as near as I can determine, may never have laid eyes on one of these early spring stalwarts, which have just begun gracing us with their abundant yellow blossoms. The various species of Forsythia, the first of which was noticed by a Westerner in a Japanese garden in the 1770s, didn't make their way into European gardens in any abundance until the middle of the nineteenth century, well after Forsyth's death in 1804. But if Forsythia's namesake never glimpsed what are also known as "Easter Plants," given their propensity for early bloom, Forsyth would certainly have loved them. Everyone does. You simply can't help smiling when these cheery yellow flowers take over a still largely barren landscape. This Forsythia is mine, a fascinating variety with leaf veins that are etched in silver. As is the Forsythia custom, the flowers come first, so we'll save the foliage for a later post.