We had a big thunderstorm during the night, with crashing thunder, brilliant lightning and strong winds. After lunch today, I bundled up, donned my boots and went out to see if there was any damage. What a lovely surprise to find this cluster of “Cream Beauty” crocus in the Deck Garden outside the back door. I hurried back inside for my camera, took a photo, and then just stared at them in wonder. Yesterday there had barely been 1/2″ of tiny green tips showing, and yet today there are flowers! I found a few more in the Front Garden, but no clusters, just a single bloom here and there, and not along the edge where I’d planted them. The squirrels have been rearranging again.
Back in the Blue Garden, which is in a very shaded but protected spot along the east wall of the house I spotted a bit of blue. When the leaves were removed a pretty cluster of dwarf iris were revealed. Be still my heart! Around the house to the Addition Garden, which showed a few tulip leaves with their red shadings pushing through the mud but no blooms of any kind and further down to the Fairy Garden Slope, I spotted lots of miniature daffodil foliage emerging.
Across the very soggy lawn, which this morning had more resembled a creek, I checked the potager’s exterior borders for any signs of color, but there was nothing. Inside the potager’s fence, however the rows of garlic were clearly apparent, and the little clump of chives in the interior border shown above had magically appeared. Most of the beds are empty, except for spinach, which seems to have grown since yesterday, some bunching onion which actually had some green appearing, and the strawberries which still look brown. However, in one bed a surprise awaited.
This little volunteer viola seemed a bit shy, with its down-turned face, but maybe with a little more sunshine she’ll gain confidence. All of the violas planted along the potager’s main paths for the past four years have been orange, or the apricot and purple duo, but as you can see, this little self-seeded beauty is a cheery yellow. Seedlings often differ from their parents, but this little one will be loved just the same.
So, the 2020 Bloom Record has begun, with today’s blossoms listed under March 3rd. It, and a few glimpses of sunlight today have brightened not only the gardens, but my outlook as well. I think the transplanting in the basement will begin tomorrow, so my seedlings will be ready in timely fashion. Winter isn’t going to last forever after all!
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