Few plants announce spring as enthusiastically as Forsythia. This genus of deciduous shrubs is celebrated for its brilliant golden-yellow flowers, which burst into bloom on bare stems before the leaves appear. The effect is nothing short of spectacular, a blaze of colour that cuts through the last chill of winter and signals that warmer days are on their way. Forsythia is not just a fleeting performer; it’s also a reliable, low-maintenance shrub. Thriving in a range of soils and aspects, it is equally at home in informal hedges, mixed borders or as a stand-alone feature. A light prune after flowering keeps Forsythia tidy and encourages an even better display the following year. For sheer cheerfulness and reliability, Forsythia is hard to beat—a genus that truly embodies the spirit of spring in UK gardens.