Saturday 28 February 2015

Spring Flowers And Natures Rebirth-Are You Seeing Signs Of Spring?

Purple crocus flower

At last a sunny day ! What is that golden globe in the sky? Well, it has seemed a very long time since we have seen it for a full day, or at least for it to give much warmth. However, the sun was out today and the landscape was bathed in a beautiful golden light so I got out into the garden!


It is so lovely to see the green shoots of the larger, taller daffodils coming up, no flowers on most of these larger varieties yet, but they will surely come to delight us later in Spring. 

The flowers of the tiny Tete a tete daffodils sheltering under the bamboo have decided to flower though and their tiny, courageous, perfect and pretty little sunny yellow flower heads being a smile to my face...

The pure white pretty snowdrops are in full flower now and I am very happy about just how many there are this year. Pure white and so simple yet so brave and the first to face the cold, the snow and the winds, yet looking so delicate and gorgeous. 

I have gathered snowdrops slowly over years. Often they have been given as gifts especially from my Mum. I have fond memories of gathering them with her in the green from her garden and planting them in my own. A shared experience of continuity gardening often gives.


Snowdrops













We were also given snowdrops as a gift from an elderly very kind lady who we used to walk our dogs with. I love it when memories and emotions are attached to plants and flowers.


The large Camillia shrub has nice big fat buds all over it just waiting to burst into its beautiful pink flowers, maybe in a few weeks we will see them. I will certainly share them here, it is quite a stunning sight as this shrub is so tall now!

The crocus is in flower too. The last time I looked there were none and now suddenly here they are! I think they look like jewels in the garden. Small but bright and beautiful and shining out in the garden.

The yellow ones are proving a little shy hiding under the shade of the tree and for all when the sun goes in they return to the safety of a bud. However, once the sun shines out especially the purple ones are turning their faces happily to the light and opening wide and beautiful, for it seems to soak up every last ray of goodness and nourishment from the sun! 

They remind me to rest and heal and take in the goodness of the earth and I too take a minute to turn to the sun and stand there basking in its warm rays... 

I am glad I planted more crocus last year and the year before. I love daffodils and crocus and all the spring flowers and I adore the slightly messy mix of shoots and flowers and leaves all coming up not quite where I planted them. The bulbs that naturalise and multiply themselves with little intervention from me. Little surprises to watch for each day now that bring happiness and hope...


Daffodils
















 I love to plant for a Spring garden and think that I always will.....

As this quote says:-

"I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature's rebirth?"
Edward Giobbi

In my wanderings around the garden, I was accompanied by the beautiful birdsong all around me. So sunshine, flowers and birdsong, what a beautiful combination. It is no wonder that I Love Spring !


Are you seeing signs of Spring flowers yet in your garden or parks or fields near you? 


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Thursday 19 February 2015

The Last Snow Of The Year, The First Snowdrop And Hope

Two birds in snowy shrub

The garden, even in its total desolation, has a beautiful splendor...


The morning sun gradually permeates everything, transforming black night to yellow hue to blue and silver, highlighting the glistening frozen dew drops.

As it grows more vivid and exact you can detect dazzling, dancing ornaments and figurines in the snow.

Birds awake to a wintry wonderland, feathers fluffed out, keeping warm as they can, looking for food. Like us they are waiting for Spring. 

A million intricate icy shapes are unbelievably ornate and perfect. The snow takes on a life all its own, like the sea or the earth but secret and silvery. Hiding the landscape beneath, transforming the outlook to a new scene.

Snowflakes, each unique and stunning. A short perfect life, turned forever upon fragments of its own self and destined to fruitlessness and silence. Crystals of infinite complexity living for nothing but to gradually dissolve their own perfect unique selves.

Crystals growing slowly into each other as the snow grows heavy,  moving softly, silken floating downwards from the skies to form a blanket over the green grass and to lie heavy upon the boughs of trees. Each moment, each flicker of sunlight, reflecting the cycles of life and of death. 

Snowdrops In The Snow
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From this the brave snowdrop decides to lift her head, to be the first to shine in the world of flowers, heralding the coming of Spring, the Hope for Spring. 

She is so beautiful, pristine, bright green shoots and a bowed graceful flower nodding humbly as she, courageous and bold, shows winter she will not be kept down.

For us, our spirits lifted to see the snowdrop in all her delicate white pure grace. Beautiful now and Hope indeed for the warmer, easier days to come.

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