spring

Season Lessons

| Flower Roberts

I appreciate the snow because I know I will miss its whiteness and brightness.

I celebrate in the white confetti falling and clinging to everything.

I listen to the rain with a glad heart.

I will miss its cool drops in the heat of August.

I wish the warmth of summer could stay in my bones through the chill of winter.

Each season has its lessons of gratefulness and faithfulness.

During winter, I have faith in spring.

I know that in the soggy, cold soil are future flowers.

Snowdrops, crocus, scilla, narcissus and tulips.

I know because I put them there. I planned for spring.

I believed in spring during a crisp and colorful fall many years ago.

Even in the cold, dark winter. I have faith in spring.

Everybody needs some spring in their heart.

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HAPPY VALENTINE’s DAY

Flower

 

Don’t Blink, it’s Spring

| Flower Roberts

I was away for three days. I came home to a different garden.

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The change is a tribute to the power of sunshine and rain.

The azaleas started blooming.

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The Lily of the Valley is reaching up and budding.

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The Solomon’s Seal is ringing its bells.

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Ascot Rainbow Spurge lifted its blooms.

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My ‘Expensive Stick’ turned into a tree.

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The best surprise was the ‘Juddii ‘Viburnum blooms.

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I wish I could share the scent of these lovely flowers.

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My garden was busy while I was away.

Don’t blink or you will miss something.  It’s spring in the south.

FLOWER

Spring Peeking

| Flower Roberts

My muddy shoe collection has started by the door.

It’s gotten so squishy here in North Carolina that I purchased a pair of mud boots.

I cannot stay inside, no matter the weather.

I had to go out and check on spring.

I was glad to see it peeking out here and there.

A few little purple anemones were blooming on the bank.

Some yellow crocus were lighting up the path.

My new Quince is budding.

The peonies are peeking out of the ground. too.

My new Sweet Betsy plants are emerging. (Thanks Marian.)

The wet Tete-a-Tete’s are trying to brighten up the garden.

I must be patient.

Me and my muddy shoes will keep making the rounds.

FLOWER

Don’t Listen to the Groundhog

| Flower Roberts

Since I have a garden, not a groundhog, I tend to consult it as to when spring will arrive.

The first place I go for this information is the weeds.  Yes, that’s right.  WEEDS.

They know more than the hybrids. Their DNA has not been tampered with.

They use old school, and I do mean old, methods to determine when to start growing.

Well fellow Carolinians, the weeds say get busy.

The mint family(square stems) and dandelions are all ready blooming.

That means if you delay in weeding, you will be weeding mama weeds and baby weeds.  Two generations!   That’s way more than twice as many.

You don’t have weeds, you say?  Lucky you.

Then consult some of your garden favorites.

The BULBS say spring is near.

Tete-a-tetes say yes.

The crocus concur.

The old daffodils on the hill are thrilled.

Bulbs are always ahead of the game you say?

Ask the PERRENIALS.

Foxgloves are growing foliage.

The columbines are coming out.

Perennial poppycock you say?

Then go see a SHRUB.

The Pieris are ringing their spring bells.

The Quince is quite convinced that spring is near.

If you still need to consult a CRITTER, or two.

The bunnies have some spring in their hop.

Get busy people. Being a gardener is like being part of a horse costume.  If you’re not a head, you’re a behind.

I said spring is near NOT here. You crazy people better not set out tomatoes yet. They go out the third week in April.

P.S. I do have a groundhog. But we don’t mention such things around Mr. Flower.

FLING

 

 

 

Pseudo Spring

| Flower Roberts

Don’t get me wrong northern friends,

I am enjoying these days of 70 and even 80 degrees here in North Carolina.

My bunnies are very happy to get out in their yard almost every day.

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Barley
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Charlotte

But I am a biologist and a plant mama.

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Fritillaria

I have been keeping garden journals of this same garden since 1996.

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It’s too early for all the growth I am seeing.

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Maple blossoms

I fear a freeze will kill much of this growth back.

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Hydrangea

Some plants have “back-up buds”, but many don’t.

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Peony

I am glad that I brought in more plants than usual this year.

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Clematis

I always fear a hard winter.

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Scilla

How ironic that I have saved these stowaways from a pseudo spring instead.

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Tete a Tete

FLOWER