I am not a decadent buyer of posh snowdrops for two main reasons: firstly I do not have that amount of disposable income that I would spend it on a small bulb that may disappear forever and secondly I have not the patience or the knees to spend half my February peering closely to see details I cannot distinguish. I have no issue with people who do do this: we all have our things we like to spend money on that other people don't. I do, however, like a minor dabble into the world of posh snowdrops and this year led to another dabble.
Dear readers, I present to you Galanthus Imbolc. If ever a snowdrop should have a fitting name then Imbolc must be one. Imbolc is a pagan festival celebrated on the 1st or 2nd February (though opinions seems to vary on this a bit).
Now we are in March, the month where Spring is deemed to commence astronomically and meteorologically. I tend to lean towards the vernal solstice as the start of Spring yet suddenly as March arrived so did some fine, warmish, sunnyish days. The nights are still getting chilly and we are not through the frost zone yet, but there has been more than three consecutive days of sun. This has meant there has been weeding as the ground as dried out enough and the lawns have had their first mow of the year.
This includes the new front lawn that has had its first ever mow. The barrier I created to stop people wandering across it is now down as I think it can now take some wear. I know I will be guilty of wandering across it, but I will keep an eye on this as I am half-thinking stepping stones...... I had stepping stones at a previous garden and I rather liked them, just a little less formal than a path.
If you look closely you can see some purple crocii appearing around the edges. I planted these the first Autumn I lived in this garden and nothing seems to stop them. They are one of my signs of Spring and just sheer joy.
I think signs of Spring is one of my favourite favourite things. Of all the seasons, and I love them all, I think it is Spring that I look out for. Maybe its because it is more obvious than the start of Summer. One swallow doesn't make a Summer apparently, which is good because I have never seen swallows in my garden. I now sit here thinking when do I know it is Summer? I think Summer ripples gently through the garden, displacing the yellow and blue flowers of Spring with reds and oranges. It does not announce itself with a fanfare, but gently appears and then suddenly is in full swing. Maybe I only really notice Summer when it is starting to be late Summer. As for Autumn, that appears one falling leaf at a time. The colours start to slowly turn when I am not ready to let go of Summer yet. That could be it, that could be the difference: I love the life returning in Spring but once Summer is upon us I know that Autumn is soon and then the cold of Winter. I need to stop this line of thought, I now think I am wishing my life away!
We might get snow next week, it is not Spring yet; but these bright few days have allowed weeding to be done, roses pruned and snowdrops admired. Here's to more days like these.
and let's hope Galanthus Imbolc reappears next year. I shall see it as a symbolic indicator that Spring will return.
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments are approved before being published