March arrived in very lamblike fashion, calm and sunny. We've had a few soft rainy days and a bit of breeze, but nothing lionlike. Yet. That could all change quickly. I spent one day of mixed weather in the garden, pruning roses and clipping the brown, dry hydrangea flowers. It felt good to do this physical work and to see the garden tidied in preparation for the abundance of growth soon to come.
Hellebores, Primulas, and Daffodils cluster together in a happy mix under the birch tree we planted several years ago. It's growing tall and slender, just as I wanted. One cannot say that about all of my planting experiments. There was the goutweed a friend gave me, variegated leaves that were pretty as can be, with tall umbrels in late summer. Unfortunately, the goutweed proved itself an insidious bully, creeping everywhere. I've mostly eradicated it but once in awhile a little leaf appears and I pounce on it immediately, not wanting it to take hold again.
One afternoon I took myself off to the local nursery to purchase seeds. What a lovely place to potter about admiring many items. Glazed pots are a weakness of mine and I do love how they add spots of colour and texture in the garden. I have several blue ones of various shapes and sizes on the patio and at the entrance to our front porch.
Colourful displays welcomed customers. These are all forced plants, no tulips are blooming yet, but how pretty this is. It gave my spirits a lift and the corners of my mouth turned upwards just to see it. I read once that just the physical act of forming a smile can alter a person's mood and I've found that to be true. I tried looking it up online to see if I could find the study again, but all that showed up on a search were advertisements for Bot*x. Not at all what I wanted!
Every street has at least one tree billowing with prunus blossoms just now. Light and dark pink and creamy white froth gladden my heart. Those gold-tipped stamens are worth a closer look.
Today the skies are dripping once again and I am not at all drawn to being outdoors. That's a good thing for there are housekeeping tasks to keep me busy today. I'm looking forward to a tidy home, and homemade pizza with a salad for dinner tonight. Tomorrow night is dinner with friends to celebrate another friend's retirement. I'm bringing the appetizers and the salad course.
I wish you all the loveliness and hope of spring even if you are still inundated with snow and cold, for spring always comes and is always beautiful.
The Spring arrangement under the birch tree is so very pretty. Hopefully the weather doesn't turn nasty. I saw that snowflakes are possible for us in the near future but I don't think they will accumulate. Have a lovely time tomorrow celebrating your friend's retirement.
ReplyDeleteOh, I do hope snowflakes don't accumulate. I would have welcomed them a month ago, but now I'm urging Spring on.
DeleteThank you for your wishes 🌸 I enjoy looking at the primulas and daffodils on your blog and dreaming about warmer days. The thought of spring makes me smile. No Botox needed 😀
ReplyDeleteThe increased light and brighter colours do much to lift my mood, too!
DeleteHow lovely all those Spring blooms are giving hope of warmer weather just around the corner. Fingers crossed for no more wintry weather. Enjoy your time with friends:)
ReplyDeleteMarch is such a changeable month. We never know what it will bring.
DeleteSeeing those glazed pots makes me want to share with you that when I travel, I buy some kind of small piece of pottery made locally. No matter what the weather, a walk for me is always a mood lifter. I have a way planned with a friend for tomorrow, we may be walking in sleet, snow and rain along with wind!
ReplyDeleteWalking in all kinds of weather can be fun - with the right clothes! I like your idea of purchasing a small piece of something made locally when you travel.
DeleteSuch lovely colors. I planted a variety of gout weed at The Lodge (the house we built in 2005 and sold in 2016). It was called Bishops weed I think and I remember seeing it in Nova Scotia and liking it. I had no problems with it spreading beyond where I planted it. But here in NH my daughter has it in her garden not on purpose and has not been successful getting it out. It took over and slowly she's tried to deal with it. She had such great plans for a cottage garden.
ReplyDeleteThere must be difference kinds of goutweed. This one definitely wants to conquer the garden!
DeleteI'm sorry about your rain. We got it here last night (and the day before) too -- in fact, I got two inches in the basement that I have to deal with today. But checking blogs is more fun. It's so lovely to see these signs of spring, knowing eventually they will come our way. It brings hope!
ReplyDeleteOh no! Water in the basement is never a good thing!
DeleteWhat a pretty garden you have created under your birch tree.
ReplyDeleteI also love the spring bulbs in the glazed pot at the nursery.
This is an exciting time of year as the earth wakes from it's winter dormancy. Last night when I closed the blinds, my daffodils were full of plump buds. This morning they are all open. A very definite mood lifter on this cloudy morning.
Your weekend plans sound lovely. Enjoy!
Thank you, Kim. Spring is full of hopeful signs like the daffodils outside your window. Have a good day.
DeleteWe are a month or so behind you here, so your spring photos me something to feast my eyes upon while I wait.
ReplyDeleteSpring does come early here, but soon you'll be enjoying blooms of your own!
DeleteDear Lorrie, your photos are absolutely stunning! A burst of beauty and joy!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. They do fill me with delight.
DeleteI would have pounced on those lovely pale blue pottery pots. So attractive.
ReplyDeleteIt does elevate the soul to see all the loveliness of Spring leaves and flowers, and certaily a smile always helps!
"The loveliness and hope of spring" . . . two things that are most welcome! Your blooms illustrate both! Other than the tulips that I purchased at the grocery store, we have no blooms yet, but our daffodils are almost there. They are trying and I am rooting for them! A happy springlike weekend to you!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderful time, isn't it? I am enjoying it very much. Today was the first morning that I took my first cup of morning coffee in the garden, with the cat nearby. It was lovely as I was listening to the birds and looking forward to going to the farmers market. Today I saw the first lupine blooming in my garden! That's early.
ReplyDeleteGlorious spring colour! Slowly it will work its way east. We are waiting!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing the colors of spring in your world, you are always at least a month or more ahead of us! No blooms here yet, but I have spotted tulip greens poking out of the cold ground! The dinner party sounds lovely, always nice to gather and celebrate with friends!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty. We are still far from seeing flowers but atleast all our snow has finally melted.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your weakness for glazed pottery...I consider pottery functional works of art!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are simply gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteSuch a joyful burst of spring colour and charm 🌸
I especially love the garden you’ve created under the birch tree.
Happy Wednesday, Lorrie!
Your photographs look lovely.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
I had to look up goutweed, I know it as ground elder. I shall be starting my search and destroy campaign against goose grass, also called cleavers, sticky grass and robin-run-the-hedge or is that last one another name for old man's beard, aka traveller's joy?
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy to go to the big nursery close to us and look at all the flowers and beautiful coloured containers. Here we are having beautiful weather this week but still chilly. It’s becoming beautiful outside with blossomed trees and flowers popping out.
ReplyDelete