Monday, February 18, 2013

Sprriiing!


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Five merry robins in their scarlet vests, rejoicing in the branches of the Mountain Ash;  the constant drip of the melting snow coming through the drain pipe, softly gurgling  and requiring a vigilant eye to keep emptied the small pail it splashes into;  the emergence of walnuts on the roof next door as the snow gradually retreats from the peak,  and the industry of the Nut Crackers and Flickers as they scoop up the opportunity to fill their little tummies.

And underneath the snow that got piled on the flower bed in the back yard, green leaves, blossoming hellebore, tender bulb stubs reaching upwards, ever upwards.

I bring down my garden diary from the shelf and draft new beds – speak to the minister of the community church who is also the source of wonderful composty  (full of couch grass, alas) top soil from his feed lot, and think about what other peonies and iris and poppies need to be  divided up in the Hillside Garden, and where I will l put them in the new beds.  We shall have an English Garden again!!


Occasionally the sky clears.  The sun travels well above the ridge of the mountain top.   At night the waxing moon is seen through the trees that lie to the west, and sometimes there are tender pink clouds in the east before the greyness envelopes us once again.

I look at the tangled climbers, and wonder who will prune Charles’ roses to his satisfaction, – it will have to be someone who takes directions from ‘on high’, so to speak!

The sweetness of the pussy willow sends me scurrying for the clippers – I clip a few, along with some branches from the red willow, the hazelnut tree, and the japonica, hoping they will add some fresh tender leaves to the winter greenery.
 
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The air is warm and the breeze is gentle, and all this whispers SPRING and is a wonderful, wonderful distraction .

5 comments:

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Oh Spring ...so good to know it's coming. And pussy willows ...the first spring flower that I miss (figuratively and literally!)

Morning's Minion said...

I loved reading of your harbingers of spring. The first buds and green leaves are so welcome.
I always wanted to grow hellebores, but had a notion that they are quite demanding as to soil and location. I suspect our zone 6 Kentucky climate would be too warm for them to thrive.
I also enjoyed your remarks about delphiniums, one of the standbys of my Vermont garden. They are for sale here in all the garden centers but must be treated as an annual. I'd like to try some of the New Millenium hybrids which are meant to be heat-tolerant. They are rather pricey things, so I must ponder on this!

Penny said...

I hope it keeps on coming and your garden will look glorious.After another burst of horrid heat and low dams for water, mine just looks so sad and I wonder why I bother. This has been such a dry summer.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I adore pussy willow Hildred - it is just beginning to stir here too. I am so pleased to hear you are looking forward to Spring.

Barb said...

Loved reading this muse on the coming of spring, Hildred. Nobody will prune those roses quite like Charles did I suspect. The pussy willow is one of my favorites.