Signs of Spring

Look! Crocus! They're only about an inch and a half tall.

It's been a goofy winter, but I'm still glad that spring is coming. The monotony of brown is beginning to get to me, so I'm seeking out any signs of life in my garden. The witchhazel and snowdrops have been blooming since January, but now I'm seeing more little signals that spring is in the air.

The daffodils are impatient.

The snow crocus has pushed out buds and is considering blooming. My early tulips are up and so are the early daffodils. The pulsatilla has returned and may bloom this year. Buds are swelling on the trees. The chipmunks have made an appearance. Our cardinal couple is back and hopefully this time will not nest in the golden privet by the back door. They were very perturbed that we passed by every day, multiple times a day. I warned them that though it's a nice dense shrub, it's like Grand Central Station. Maybe they'll figure it out this year.

Who knows what this year will bring? Our warmer winter means not as many pests were killed off. I suspect we'll have more Japanese beetle and bagworm. The welcome back party for work was at the local VFW this past weekend and their arborvitae hedge is brimming with bagworm. The tree and shrub staff will probably swing by again, just to check it out. We're that kind of plant/bug geek.

So as today's temperatures seem set to top 60, I've unloaded the 40 pound bag of cat litter from the trunk of the convertible (It seems to help when driving in snow and if I ever get stuck, instant grit!). The rule of the roadster - if it's above 50 and sunny, the top comes down!

Vibrations of Spring

Perhaps it is because I'm a gardener that it seems I can feel the seasons, almost from my feet to the top of my head. 

Now, at the beginning of March, there's almost a low thrum in the air as the days grow longer.  Birds are returning - redwing blackbirds have been spotted and our resident redtail hawk just flew overhead.  I think it's a juvenile male as the breast feathers are very white and he's a little on the small side.  For a redtail, that is.  The squirrels are chasing each other in that seductive squirrel way and the bunnies might be doing the bunny hop, but I haven't spotted them yet.  I'm sure they are waiting for a nice romantic moonlit night.  The rabbits have left me plenty of fertilizer.  It's not just the excellent soil that causes everything here to get bigger, I swear the secret is well-aged bunny poo, too.

A stroll around the garden, and I can almost feel the twigs vibrating under my fingers.  Buds are swelling, elongating, and some beginning to crack.  Yesterday, the elm tree at work seemed to be dotted with thousands of chocolate chips - big fat juicy buds!  The forsythia is practically hopping up and down in excitement, but my witchhazel is being stubborn.  The ones at The Morton Arboretum have already cracked, but mine isn't budging.  No sir.  It doesn't care that the daffodils at its feet have poked inquisitive heads up about an inch.  My arborist friend tells me the silver maples are running with sap already, and we know the boxwood is raring to go. 

Yes, it's cold.  Yes, we'll probably get some more snow, but it will melt quickly and be a memory.  The soil crunches in the morning, but it means I can go out and cut down my raggedy grasses without worrying about compaction. 

Underneath that crusty surface, can't you just feel the earth tremble?

Spring is in the Air!

Finally. 

It smells like spring.  The fragrances of soil, leaf mold, and waking plants are in the air.  Gone is the crisp knife edge of snow and the hard tang of frost.  The air is like wine and I'm prowling the garden daily to see what's happening.

Plants are awakening and one of the first are snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis).  I have them dotted throughout the beds, but one patch in particular always blooms first. These self-seeded from a clump across the way, and every year they save my sanity.  You'll also notice the wee rabbit turd. They are everywhere and although I hate the bunnies, they do produce nice fertilizer.

The witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis) buds are just cracking open.  Hopefully they will fully unfurl in the next couple of days.  It will be in the 50s this week, but with steady rain.  The early daffodils are up and the early crocus.  I can see the geraniums and the heucheras popping up tiny leaves and the sedum are hard clusters of buds.  Even Gladys the rhubarb is starting to make an appearance.

What's starting to appear in your garden?