FINALLY it's spring!

 

 

Finally it’s spring

 

 

 

                On the sidewalk to the mail box one recent mid-morning, I looked down into the teeny tiny blue faces of what I call Johnny-Jump-Ups, or bluets. They are a sure sign that spring is here. One year, before the new subdivision folks moved all the dirt, a bank of blue grew across Couchwood Street.

                Returning, I stopped, looked around and noticed that blobs of white dotted the edge of the yard that fronts the street. White irises! All up and down the perimeter—under the sassafras, in the yucca bed, near the redbud, and even down the concrete-block wall that delineates the old driveway.

Also, near my feet was a clump of white daffodils I’d moved from the lower yard several years back. Their fragrance was strong––second only to the aroma of hyacinths. I plucked a couple to add to the bouquet on the table with japonica, spirea and Japanese kerria.

And then the hopefully-final freeze came. Irises, limp, had fallen to the ground. Two smallish azaleas died, and the camellia blooms turned brown. Alas.

But two long-lived, red tulips still held their pretty heads aloft. The kerria didn’t appear to be diminished. An old small-flowered pink azalea next to the house on the east bloomed!

My spring table bouquet holds some of of the plants mentioned. Thank goodness for spring. But”  my son says, “I haven’t seen any blackberry blooms. There’s blackberry winter yet.” Out back, I showed him a lone blackberry bloom. “What do you know!” Let’s hope last Sunday’s freeze served as our blackberry winter. About time for the inside plants to go outside.

Happy spring to one and all!