That time of year, most things are still just beginning to come out of winter dormancy... I can't speak for that particular area of Michigan but most of the things I can think of aren't really showy. Witch hazel might be a good one, some of them have bright, cheery colors and a wonderful scent; Cornus mas sometimes blooms that time of year although most people don't admire it as much as they do other dogwoods, which bloom later. The flowers are smaller and less showy but when it's in full bloom it looks like a birthday cake all lit up with candles (description courtesy of a friend!) :) Hopefully others will have more suggestions but that time of year is a bit early for most plants... good luck!

Thanks Carol Ann! That really does help. Our Witch Hazels finished blooming in February and we're in full spring bloom here right now so I'm glad I asked.

Since not a lot blooms there at this time of year maybe some suggestions of pretty ornamental trees that do really well in that area would help too. How do Japanese Maples fare in Michigan? With the amount of money we have collected so far we could afford to purchase a really nice modestly size Japanese Maple.

Do Saucer Magnolias do well in Michigan? They are supposed to be hardy to Zone 5 and they start to bloom here when the Witch Hazel is still in bloom.

I know that Linwood is along the west shore of Saginaw Bay near the famed cheeze towns of Piconning and such. It is at the northmost part of the Saginaw Valley and is more continental than most of Michigan. Since that would be a safe zone 5, I'd recommend only a few plants; any flowering plum, or cherry (especially dwarf trees) would be good along with a pussy willow or forsythia. If it was about mid April, the options would multiply significantly. You may want to check with Dow Gardens (in nearby Midland) they seem to have a phenominal selection of plants and would have an expert who could suggest something other than what I just did. A google search for Dow Gardens in Midland, MI would be a good start.

Thank you for the suggestions! :) I researched Dow Gardens yesterday and found out that for a $15 donation they will plant a memorial rose bush in their rose garden so we are pretty sure that we'll be donating some roses in addition to giving a tree to his wife. Judging from their website it looks like a nice place. He had three young children and I see that Dow Gardens has a children's garden, which is another reason it is appealing to us as a good place to donate. I hadn't thought about asking them about what's blooming, thanks for the great idea!

I know that a big problem in that area is cold winter winds-so think of them as at least a zone 4 or even a 3. Because of the open lot and the winds at my house, I'm a zone 4, while those in the city are a 5, and my sister-in-law in the dense city of Hazel park is a zone 6. So be sure to get a guarantee with all the plants you get. Bordines is a larger quality nursery out there, all the rest will be small mom/pop nurseries. Good luck

Saucer magnolias do well some years, and the flowers get zapped by a cold spell some years, so it's always iffy with them. When they're beautiful, they're beautiful, but the years they get hit by cold, the petals all turn brown and the flowers are a mess. A lot of people grow them in the midwest and the plants do well but the flowers aren't reliable.

I don't know about Japanese maples but I suspect there are some that would work. Hope you've had good luck contacting Dow and other places in the area that can give you better specifics than I've been able to. I love the idea of a memorial tree. Let us know what you pick!