The calendar may say that Spring is days away but looking out my back window I’m not so sure. The squirrels are busy though, scampering up and down the trees chattering away and driving Chloe, my dog, crazy. Sparrows are darting about in and out of the hedges. Do they have more faith than many of us?
We are not the only ones enduring a long winter. You probably heard about the snow storms in Europe earlier this month. I would love to be in Paris when it snows…walking through the gardens. The snow only enhances the beauty that already exists, the architecture and landscape design. I know… after the first day of wonder and novelty comes the nightmare for public transportation and traffic. These are photos of a grumpy snowman in the Tuileries in Paris and a cheerful snowman in London. Fun and creative ways to enjoy a snow day!
On the first day of Spring (the vernal equinox), there are equal hours of daylight and night. The warm sun, higher in the sky, starts to unthaw the earth encouraging bulbs to poke through the ground and trees start to leaf out or blossom. I have a “star magnolia” shrub (tree) in my garden that is showing signs of Spring. The flowers come before the leaves often blooming while there is still snow on the ground. It’s always such a surprise to see these delicate white flowers on a bare branch. The birds are chirping happily, hoping to attract a mate, and busy making their nests. More baby animals are born during this season, while others are coming out of hibernation. Even humans are more likely to fall in love in the Spring!
The health benefits of vitamin D that the sun provides are endless, however, if you suffer from allergies, this season can be most unpleasant. The increased humidity may also affect chronic pain or arthritis and the wind systems, like the Chinook, from the Rocky Mountains, can wreak havoc for those with headaches. Mostly though, Spring is about rejuvenation. We shed the outer layers of clothing, add a bounce to our step, anxious to be outdoors again.
At this time of year, I get really impatient for the greenhouses to bring in “what’s new” for the upcoming season. I look forward to the seed catalogues arriving in the mail so I can start to daydream about what to plant in my planters. What colour scheme, what variety of flowers and what greenery??? I have a bit of a problem with symmetry (all the planters have to be the same!)… so it is quite a commitment to make.
Over the winter I was debating (with myself) whether I should add more colour to my planters this year…but every time I see plantings like the containers above I change my mind. I’m guessing this will probably be my go-to colour scheme (white and green) again this year!
What are your plans for Spring? Spring cleaning?
xxx Judy