Sunday, April 26, 2009

Linda's Rite of Spring


Decent weather doesn’t come to the north coast of Ohio until my birthday, which happens to be this week—May 1. There was the one year, not too many years ago, when it snowed on my birthday, so I don’t always count on May 1 to be the marker.

My annual rite of spring is being able to sit on my deck and eat a plate of pancakes and enjoy the warmth of the morning and hear the birds. Today was that day.

I love the outdoors. I am an avid gardener, arthritis and all. Perennials are my specialty. When we purchased this house over 20 years ago, the backyard was almost totally dark…..so many huge trees and the canopy of leaves kept sun and rain from the soil. Then I was a shade gardener! Over the years I have removed the smaller and dirtier trees, which has given me the opportunity to try some partial sun and full sun varieties of perennials.


As I eat my pancakes and survey the garden work which lies ahead, I shake my head in disbelief. So many plants did not survive the drought of last August and the cut logs of four trees that were removed last summer are still piled up near the shed. What a mess!!!


Still, I see the beginnings of the early spring risers….those perennials that open in the early spring, but don’t stay around too long...
Bloodroot, Virginia Bluebells, Dutchman’s Breeches and Tiger Lily.

This year I have plans to rework a large area where the trees were taken down. I’m still not certain what I am going to do, but I know a plan will form as I am clearing out the pachysandra ground cover that died in August.

I can’t wait!

3 comments:

  1. I can sit and watch the Spring garden grow right before my eyes here on Canada's West coast. Green, green and more green.
    The weeds managed to grow all winter long, how does that happen?
    Thanks for the reminder for the Tiger Lilies. I forgot I wanted to add a few more this year.

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  2. You have a lovely yard.

    You're Spring is just arriving, and mine is leaving. Time for humid Summer on the Gulf Coast.

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  3. You are so lucky to have spring now. Summer arrived for us here in Virginia yesterday (and our air conditioner was out today - yechh). Beautiful yard.

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