Forsythia

This yellow beauty is my favorite shrub. It is the first woody plant to flower in my yard, signalling that spring has arrived. Last summer I had to give this shrub a hard pruning as it had become severely overgrown, reaching out to the side walk on two sides. Due to that drastic cutback, there are less blooms than normal as forsythia produces bloom on new wood. This is why it is important to hold off on pruning until after flowering. Otherwise you will shear off the majority of flowers. This shrub has only just begun to bloom, so I might have more flowers later.

I particuarly love how the bright flowers stand out against the bare branches.