“The drama of spring is not always very well staged…. too often it proceeds jerkily, with the halts and repetitions of a rehearsal instead of the sustained rhythm of a finished performance.” Jason Hill
The vast expanse of ice and snow has started to retreat for the second time this year. I’m hoping we have real spring this time instead of the false spring that appeared mid February.
It’s exciting to see that the squirrels and chipmunks have left me some crocuses and a few species tulips on the warm west side of the house. A few years ago they developed a real taste for the beautiful little tarda tulips but they don’t seem to have wiped them all out. The crocuses have definitely increased their numbers over last year. I am grateful that I have been given a bit of reprieve. Only time will tell if it will last.
As soon as the snow melted and the crocuses appeared, the first flowers also appeared in the same bed. What flowers so early in March and early April you might ask. Of course it’s the ubiquitous Johnny jump up or Viola. I weed out most of these because they would take over if I didn’t. But a few of them are cheerful to see first thing in the spring and late into the fall.
The deer have come out of the bush and have been digging in the snow for last fall’s apples. Unfortunately there is now one less apple tree for them to forage under. They have also been rooting around at the edge of the vegetable garden for overwintered greens. I’m always amazed that they can find these and eat them right off to the ground before the snow has even melted.
I took my stored dahlias out and looked at them recently. I haven’t managed to kill them all which is an improvement over past years. But there is unfortunately still room for improvement.
I was happy to see a huge variety of dahlias for sale on a recent grocery store trip. I might need to buy a few more and I try not to be too snooty about where plants come from. After all some of my best fall bulbs have been late season grocery store impulse buys.
Does anyone know why certain lilies increase and have to be divided and others just seem to fade away? I have finally ordered a replacement for a beautiful double white oriental lily that has been fading away for years. It was an impulse buy at the Peterborough Garden Show many years ago and I eventually got very attached to it. I know that some of you are going to say that a double lily is vulgar. But I think I like it so much because it’s just so over the top and unexpected among other tasteful and unassuming plants.
Finally, I’m happy to see that there is no sign of the rebuilding of the beaver kingdom. As much as I like having a pond, I don’t enjoy worrying about water coming up through the floor of my cabin. Eventually they will come back when the poplar has regenerated but for now I’m glad they’re somewhere else.
Happy spring everyone.
By Jill Williams
