Why do I like them? We had dogwoods trees in the yard when I was growing up. The blossoms always seems so fragile. In the fall we would have red berries to add color to the other autumn colors. After college I lived in the mid-Atlantic states and the dogwood and red bud trees would grow native as under-story trees, adding the first hints of color in the Spring.
My other favorites are trillium. I would find them on sunny riverbanks on Otter Creek in Vermont and in the woods along quiet country roads. I see them about here in the Finger Lakes. Our river house has a few of them in one of the flower beds.
I look forward to seeing these old friends year after year.