It has arrived!
Meteorological spring beauty by the back door.
Ribes sanguineum (Flowering Currant)
Happy 1st March
I have always been of the mind that Spring doesnāt officially begin until the Spring Equinox on 21st March. Therefore, we still have three weeks to wait before we can name a new season.
But for the past few years, I have started to look more to the weather patterns and nature clues to show me when we are in the seasons and I can definitely say that, although I live āUP NORTHā in the UK, where the climate is on the chilly side for most of the year, Spring has truly sprung!
A welcome sight
There was no big build up this year, the frogs arrived one night in their myriads and croaked their song for five nights solid. My small wildlife pond was awash with writhing bodies all knotted together and as I write this, at least twenty gelatinous blobs of frogspawn have been deposited. Just wondrous!
I am forever grateful for this sight. They have chosen my pond and I would like to think it is a homecoming for some of the baby frogs who started out life in our little puddle we created, a quarter of a century ago.
The Spring rainbow palette
Tiny Tete a Tete daffodils
I have planted numerous daffodil bulbs in my garden over the twenty five years I have tended it. My favourite, by far, is the tiny Tete a Tete which are joyously miniature and their clumps seem to replicate my love of community gatherings, nodding to one another in conversation, all on the same page, all accepting of one another.
I wait in anticipation of them showing off their bright, buttery petals. A few were waiting for me this morning. They are slightly fragrant and as I have so many of them, I often treat myself to some cut ones from the garden to put into little vases and dot them all over the house. A display of such radiance always makes me smile.
A flower of old
The primroses are starting to emerge too and this purple one is very special. It has been fifteen years since we collected the parent plant. We dug it up from my in-laws garden, a reminder of their wonderful long life together and cherished plot, gently tended in partnership for over sixty years.
It took a while to get established, as it had been in their garden. It was, as if to say, it didnāt feel right, it was not where it belonged. We cherished it and showed it love and gradually it surrendered. It is quite a prolific sight now, planted near to the house, close by to see it in all weathers. It was out this morning and as you can see there are many offspring.
Early flowers still smiling
The traditional early flowers are still doing their thing and seem to be enjoying life now that the recent deluge has subsided. I still get a thrill when I spy a snowdrop and the crocuses seem really happy in the spring light and show no sign of giving up just yet.
Sunlight and catkins
My purple hazel tree has some wonderful pink catkins but a few years ago I noticed some equally beautiful yellow ones, coming from the same plant. I think what has happened here is that although it should have pink catkins, part of the tree has returned to its root stock and now produces green leaves in places, with yellow catkins from this part of the plant. Isnāt nature clever?
What is missed will come again
I have missed my hellebores this year, plenty of leaf but not a flower to be seen. I am sure there is an explanation and as this has happened before, I am hopeful they will return next year. I have also missed the hyacinths I carefully planted up in pots. Again, plenty of leaves but the flowers, unformed. It is disappointing when you wait so long for something and it doesnāt materialise. A lesson for life perhaps?
Its worth a little walk
So, with only a few steps around my garden, I came across so much life and hope. I am certain there are still some nippy winds and frosty mornings on their way but I am confident we have entered into the most frenzied of seasons, even if it is a little earlier than I normally expect.
Thank you for joining my little garden tour, and sharing this special start of something wonderful with me.
I am curious:
What nature changes have you noticed from your back door recently?
What is your favourite spring flower and why?
It is a strange year - Spring definitely seemed to arrive on March 1st here too! It was as though everything decided to come out once the rain stopped (almost). I loved this walk around your garden - the plants in mine also have stories to tell and I too have an abundance of Tete a Tete, such an apt name!
I feel all the joys of spring in your beautiful post Daisy. Your garden looks so lovely. I look forward to spending time in mine once the weather approves.