The Signs of Spring

I walk outside and breathe it in. Spring! Composers  through the ages have written sonnets, poems, and ballads describing their feelings about the season. A friend recently sent me this image of someone's emotional expression.You may have seen a similar sign already, but if not, I think you might enjoy it; and I have to say that I feel the same!

Despite continuing cold nights, the days are warmer and spring is rolling in with new flowers appearing daily. Each morning I can't wait to get out there to see what is happening in the garden. I especially like to examine the little blooms, the ones that make you pause and take a closer look.

Amelanchier, also called serviceberry, juneberry, and a number of other names, is in full bloom.The berries that follow the flowers are delicious, but I may never get more than a handful. I planted this tree for the birds, especially the bluebirds, who love them.

From a distance, Chaenomeles, or flowering quince, packs a powerful punch, but clusters of the small blooms are equally amazing up close.

Masses of Phlox subulata is a common spring-time sight, but the individual little flowers are not common at all:

Hepatica nobilis, with the unfortunate common name of liverwort, is just emerging in the woodland garden.This plant is taking its time becoming well-established, but I love the little blooms.

Below left, Leucojum estivum, or summer snowflake, has dainty white bells that must be appreciated up close, and below right is the funky Corylopsis sinensis, a tall shrub known as winter hazel.

Some other blooms are larger and also deserve attention as I stroll through the garden.Clockwise, from above left: Edgewothia chrysantha; Camellia from a shrub that is over 30 years old; An unusual daffodil, planted about sixty years ago by the original owner of our house; Magnolia 'Jane'

Below left is a bird house that has been a favorite of bluebirds every year. A couple have been busy there recently, and I hoped to get a photo of one, but Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird would not cooperate! The yellow in the background is Forsythia, also called yellow bell. Below right, A stray forsythia branch is blooming in front of a purple pot. The pot contains Carex oshimensis 'Everillo', a brightly colored sedge that is my new favorite plant of the season.

Take a look at a woodland scene that I have featured through every season, because it may soon be changing! My beloved blue bridge has termites! Lou says there is little to be done for it. By next year I will have to replace it. When that happens, I will find a small metal bridge and I doubt it will look the same. But be sure, I will paint the railings turquoise blue!

Finally, as a perfect spring day in the garden comes to a close, I catch the sun setting behind the trees.

May the joy of discovery and the fresh hope of spring always be in your hearts.   Deb

The Daffodils of March (and a Few Other Blooms)

Oh, daffodils, how happy are your faces, and how bravely you endure rainy days and chilly, even freezing nights!

I am so glad to see the the sunny colors of daffodils, blooming by the hundreds in my March garden. Normally, early bloomers push up in January or February, but this year they waited into March; and at same time, the rest of the daffodils felt the warm sunshine and decided to bloom, too. So now we have this mass of daffodils, and I can't help but be pleased:

Little else is blooming, although buds are swelling slowly on the quince bushes:

And I must not forget the hellebores, for they were the first to emerge and bloom, just a couple weeks ago, despite our persistent wintry weather:Edgeworthia's wooly blooms are almost fully open, too:

Spring struggles to take hold. We have a day or two of sunny days with temps into the 70s, and everyone dances out to play in the garden. Then the weather turns cold and nasty again. A local weathermen recently said we may have snow the middle of March. Excuse me, this is the DEEP South, and that should not happen! (It does, once every quarter century or so.) I must remind myself that it is still winter, according to the calendar.

Not at all contented with the cheerful daffodils, winter is throwing buckets of cold rain at us again today. The daffodils may hang their heads to the ground. Some of them may give up and turn to mush, but I expect others will be waiting for the next warm day to lift their faces and declare that we are going to have a spring party, and winter is not invited!