Grooving With Spring

Yes, everything is ahead of schedule. One simply has to embrace what is – it is spring after all!

I’m loving the early bulbs. This is their (albeit brief ) time to shine. The mix of periwinkle-blue scillas and mauve creeping-myrtle carpeting the top of the front garden is the sweet sight that greets me when I return home from anywhere. The yellow of the daffodils in their midst give an extra pop of delight.

In the meadow, as the earth is greening up, the small bulbs sit like scattered gems twinkling in the clear sunshine. Every day reveals more treasures. Makes getting on with the daily chores so much more exciting. It’s hard to be grumpy when surrounded by beautiful new beginnings. At the same time, I find it totally distracting!

Last week, while I was tackling the numerous hydrangea surrounding the meadow, I kept pausing to admire the new growth at their base. It looked like there was a larger amount of dead wood to cut off and as a result, the shrubs seemed to be shrinking in size. At first, I was quite alarmed. It had been a rather mild winter so I didn’t expect much loss. Spying the basal shoots emerging shyly was a relief.
And then my eyes came to rest upon the primroses and hyacinths nosing through the soil. So charming and reassuring. Not far from where I was working, I noticed black-capped chickadees investigating an opening on the trunk of the sugar maple where a branch used to be. Perhaps they will be moving in soon.

Using the lengths of grapevine prunings to wrap around the railing at the end of the driveway, I was struck by the way the buds sat on the climbing hydrangea that also grows around this structure. The plumules make the vine look like a network of stringed lights as though waiting to illuminate the garden. Which of course they shall when their creamy lace-cap flowers bloom. Meanwhile, assorted birds seemed to think I was giving away nesting material – they demonstrated great expertise at swooping in, picking up a short bit of grapevine and taking off to sites unseen.

Cool weather vegetable plugs await planting. But first I must clear the plot of anything that could harbor slugs and turn over the green cover of unidentifiable seedlings that have spontaneously sprouted. I think that this year I will spread a nice layer of sharp grit over the soil to deter the aforesaid pest. However, before I do all that, I must stop to run my hand over the creeping thyme that has self-seeded near by. The fragrance evokes menus for herb infused meals under the new pergola. Soon, very soon….

In the greenhouse, several plants can be brought outside but the kumquats hanging like tiny suns catch my attention. Now I’m off to make kumquat chutney. A dollop of it goes divinely with a sliver of cheese atop a cracker. Add a glass of perfectly chilled white wine and you have a feast.

As a result of the joyous diversions, every task takes longer than they ought. The going is slow but the spirit is high. As Mother Nature colors in the garden, the anticipation is palpable. An awful lot of chores need to be done and time always seems short. Yet, I know I cannot let myself miss these days of rebirth. After all, they hold all of a gardener’s hopes and dreams.

Is my garden’s Open Day marked on your calendar? It is May 7, 2016. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Raphsody In Blue seems like the theme playing in the garden right now: