And so it does. Out in the garden, fingers of hosta claw up from the still cold earth, seeking the warmth of the sun, the drink of the rain. Waking from slumber, in a few more days — if those days be warm— the leaves will begin to unfurl. If one listens closely enough, a soft yawn might be heard. But perhaps that is simply an echo of the happy sigh of the gardener-in-residence.
Hello, Peg! As you can see, the cement birdbath did not survive the winter, alas! One of the drawbacks of such material is that it is prone to cracking. Even though the Man patched it up a year ago, it was not enough to keep out the icy tendrils that naturally seek the lowest of places in order to force their way in. I bought this new composite one to stand in while I search for an aesthetically pleasing one that strikes my fancy. I do have a love for stone, even the poser faux types. Stone is also sturdy enough for the raccoons to jump upon and so grab a sip after snacking on fallen sunflower seeds.
I see a few hyacinths out front waving their fragrant freak flags and more are on the way down the drive by the old wash tub. Yellow there, if memory serves. I will be swamped with lilies this Spring and as you know, I have ordered even more. So dependable are they and I enjoy the sight of their little green sword leaves all summer.
The forsythia bushes are bright enough now, even with the frequent rains, to make one stop and admire them. Such a vivid yellow is not my favorite color but at this point in early spring, they are a welcome sight. Even the green of the ever present pines seems brighter as the days grow longer. In May, though, I doubt I’ll feel so kindly towards them as they smother everything under a blanket of golden pollen.
On your last visit, I was quite happy to have some spare copies of Gladys Taber’s books to share with you and I hope you are enjoying them. She writes so simply and yet so deeply of a country life filled with wild things and night skies and old friendships. What more could any of us wish for than those, really?
Until next time, enjoy your trip across the Pond and I will see you again in the merry month of May!
Ever your friend,
Wren
What a lovely post full of the promise of spring flowers! I love the photos of your rain-soaked garden and your beautiful descriptions of the plants. I have more plants to bring you in May! I just potted them up for you today so hopefully they will be happy and healthy for transplanting.
So sorry to hear about the birdbath! Hope you find the perfect one you love. I have a vintage metal one here. I'll try to post a photo.
The rain held off until after 1 pm today so I managed to get a lot of work done in my vegetable garden! Planted more kale seeds (damn squirrel got into the first planting!) and put up a fence around them. Also planted a few potatoes, and some sunflower seeds (Autumn Beauty and Italian White), Harlequin marigolds, and some nigella/love in a mist. I also cleared the weeds from my strawberries and moved a few plants around. The daffodils I planted outside the community garden fence are blooming! I'll still have a lot to do when I get home from my trip but I'm glad I was able to get started!
The flower gardens here have lots of green showing! Things are coming up fast with the warm weather we had this week. Not much blooming here (only partial sun) but soon there will be color and fragrance a plenty! Spring's beauty will be a sorely-needed balm this year.
I am thrilled you shared the Gladys Taber books with me!!! I think I'll bring 'Stillmeadow Calendar' to read on the plane this week, in case I can't get any writing done. Her writing is just beautiful, so simple yet so evocative, it's some of the most sensual and profound nature writing I've ever seen. Nothing lofty, just honest reactions to all she sees and smells and touches...and how these sights and places connect to her wider world. Nature is part of her life every day! oh how I wish this was true for more people...I sometimes wonder if we might become kinder and better people if we spent more time in nature. I know that even a few hours spent outdoors helps me feel so much better in times of stress and sadness. I shall endeavor to do this more! I'm thankful to have gardens to work and play in.