“The world’s favourite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.”
Edwin Way Teale
Well I guess I got my wish that the spring temperatures stay on the cool side to allow the daffodils to last longer. As with the snowdrops and crocus, the daffodils this year have been glorious. I love all daffodils from the big single early ones to the smaller late double ones that are so fragrant. I even love the big double ones that always flop over when it rains. The doubles usually end up as cut flowers. Cutting the bent over daffodils following the rain is a very pleasant springtime task.
My favourite tulips are the little yellow and white tarda tulips. These bloom at the same time as the early daffodils and this makes for nice combination. Tiny red species tulips come along a little bit later. I’m surprised every spring when the tarda tulips appear; they have been excavated in the past by the chipmunks and squirrels so every single one is appreciated.
I’m afraid that with the bigger later hybrid tulips I end up with what looks like a dog’s breakfast in terms of design. Since most hybrids only last a few years I have some of each of many different colours. There are two beautiful green and white fragrant doubles. There were originally more than ten. And there are some red ones and one bright yellow. Never mind the clashing colours; we’ll just call it a cottage garden.
I can’t bring myself to treat hybrid tulips as annuals which is what some of the grander gardens do. They’re only allowed to bloom one season and then they’re composted. I prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt; some of each new colour usually survive. Unless, of course, the chipmunks and squirrels discover them. When that happens, I like to look on the bright side and use it as an opportunity to start over again. The garden glass should always be half full.
I mark the spots now where I want to plant new tulips in the fall. Little bamboo skewers are perfect for this. They weather to an unobtrusive grey so they’re not really in the way all summer.
It used to bother me that the fall bulb catalogues arrive so early. But now it doesn’t. I can already picture some new daffodils that I want to add and I’d like to see what’s available while what I have is still blooming.
Maybe I’ll get some more with darker centres as I don’t seem to have very many of those.
The phoebes returned on the ninth of April this year and nest construction in the side porch is well under way. Beavers aren’t nature’s only good engineers. The bottom layer of the phoebe nest is mud which is like glue that holds the nest in place on top of the wooden pillar. Next comes grass, small sticks and pieces of mosses. Sometimes they use horse hair. It’s a marvel really when all is said and done.
Early planting of spinach and snow peas this year hasn’t given me any advantage. It was so cold in March and early April that they’re barely up at the end of April.
Forsythia was spectacular this year as it always is after a mild winter. I need to prune mine as it’s getting big enough to block out the sun. A quarter to a third of the old wood can be taken out after it blooms. I mostly don’t do this when I should since there are so many other gardening jobs at this time of year.
I’m looking forward to warmer temperatures and maybe all those ladybugs will finally fly away home.
By Jill Williams