Trilliums in springFor a couple of weeks now, it has been light when I awaken in the morning. It is still light when I close the blinds after 5 pm. Even though it is still early in March, somewhere, somehow, winter is ending.
For some people, the anticipation of spring starts with the arrival of seed catalogs. I have been thinking about gardening in my back yard Do I want raised beds? Will I rent a rototiller? What kind of tree will I buy to replace the ungainly mulberry that I had cut down last year? Right now, I want spring to come so much it hurts.
This is a dangerous time in my part of the world. Winter may be ending on the calendar, but in Oswego, NY it can easily snow in late April. At the end of May, when people take flowers to the cemetery for Memorial Day, it is usually cold and rainy. It is not unusual for hopeful gardeners, seduced by the displays in the catalogs and at the garden centers, to set out plants too early. What can you expect when winter has been around since last October?
Around here, we like to say we have four seasons, but the four seasons situation is pretty precarious. Winter rules, followed by a summer that may be hot and dry or hot and humid, and we generally have a reasonable sort of autumn (but not last year). Spring, when we have it, doesn't seem to last long, which is a shame because it is such a beautiful time.
I can't think of anything more beautiful than the soft green of new leaves on the trees, unless it's the scent of lilacs. What is more moving than a forsythia in full bloom or a great drift of daffodils in new grass? Just don't blink, because the only thing more overwhelming than the beauty of spring is the speed with which it disappears.
One of these days I am going to plant some spring flowering bulbs. At least, I am going to plant some daffodils and crocuses, and maybe even some hyacinths. I don't plant tulip bulbs anymore. Why pay out good money to feed the squirrels? I had some overgrown lilacs cut down to the ground last year, and I am curious to see what, if anything, sprouts from their stumps. I already know that after the two peonies in the back yard bloom this year, my friend Michele is going to come and dig them out. She loves peonies, but for me, they are always a disappointment. Last year they were loaded with blooms that collapsed a day later when it rained. When they're gone, I'm going to plant hydrangeas.
At this time of year, a lot of my thoughts start with the words I'm going to. Not all my plans come to fruition, but the plans themselves do much to sustain me.
1 comment:
Great article! Brings back memories. Spring is my favorite season! After growing up in upstate New York, it's amazing to live in milder climates such as Italy where pansies and other annuals are planted in March, and forsythia, tulip trees, daffodils, tulips, crocus and even lilacs are in full bloom before April. In Vicenza, normally winters aren't severe; there are few nights that dip below 29 degrees and the majority of nights have low temperatures above freezing; there is very little snow and ice, plenty of winter rainfall, and soil that naturally is dark and rich. Spring is spectacular - truly a pleasure to stroll in any neighborhood! I can't wait for the Wisteria to begin! Roses bloom early and last into late fall or even early December. When we lived in Virginia and Alabama, winters were fairly mild in comparison to New York and, although spring flowers and trees were lovely, in my opinion they do not have the same vibrance as those in Italy. In both Alabama and Virginia, the soil seemed red and claylike. In Virginia, we experienced drought during most of the years we spent there, and often late frosts damaged spring blossoms. Although many, many years have passed since I lived in upstate New York, I can still see my Dad's beautiful daffodils, tulips, flowering trees and bushes and remember how how much we enjoyed them after the long, hard winter.
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