Posts tagged ‘flowers’
Spring bulbs already sprouting!
It’s hard to believe, but the first shoots of snowdrops and crocuses are peeking up in gardens around the neighbourhood, including mine. This photo was taken yesterday afternoon, which you can see was lovely and sunny compared to today’s drizzle and grey. (more…)
A sunlit feeling returns
This is how it feels to be back at life after a lengthy stretch of way too much work. I’ve been trying for the past couple of years to keep my work-life balance under control, mostly unsuccessfully. Last year I spent about six months freelancing, which I loved for all its flexibility, but add moving, travel and family crisis into the mix and things were barely manageable. Next up was work commitments that added up to at least full-time-and-a-half, and that wasn’t great either. After that: major event plus surgery plus another (more) major event. Sigh.
But now things are suddenly looking much different. The family crisis that was still is and always will be. There is nothing easy about it. But the way everything else is suddenly lifting away is a revelation. My health is not perfect, but far better than it’s been for years. The giant work projects that were such a challenge are complete and emitting a lovely glow of success. What’s left now: summer, travel, patio, garden, cooking, reading, visiting, resting, writing, normal work and searching for what’s next. The life equivalent of this pretty rainbow of sunlit gerberas.
Primulas in bloom
Vancouver experienced some very chilly temperatures a couple of weeks ago (even snow!), but luckily my primulas were hardy enough to survive the cold snap. I planted them in early February after seeing them displayed in these gorgeous, colourful rows at my favourite garden centre, Southlands Nursery,
It’s this time of year that makes me love living on the west coast. When we used to live in Victoria I always enjoyed the annual flower count and the bragging rights that come with being the first place in Canada to experience spring. And when I lived in Calgary this is the time of year I hated the most – waiting and waiting for the endless winter to cease.
There were primulas blooming in our tiny garden when we bought our new house here in Vancouver last year. It’s amazing to see them again and think of all the time that has passed and everything that can happen in the short space of a year.
First flower spotted: snowdrops
I spotted my first flowers of the year a few days ago: a couple of snowdrops blooming on my patio. I planted a handful of bulbs last fall hoping for spring blooms, and here they are already. I wish I’d planted a hundred more.
There are other plants in my garden right now – ivy, bamboo and violets all survive the winter here in Vancouver – but the snowdrops are the first sign of growth. Two seasons wrapped up into one tiny flower – a shoot of green and snowy white that pushes us to accept the thin hope of spring while chilly grey days with gloves and scarves continue for a little longer.
Plants are always the perfect gift
Our sweet neighbours brought over this hibiscus plant as a gift when they joined us for a glass of bubbly on New Year’s Eve. They’ve watched me spend endless hours puttering around our tiny garden and become wise to the fact that plants are always the perfect gift. The plant even came with a name – Judy.
Hibiscus plants are beautiful and I’ve always wanted one. It’s resting as directed in bright sunlight (well, as much sunlight as one gets in during a west coast winter) on the desk in my studio. I hope it lasts for years and years. I’ve seen hibiscus trees for sale at garden stores, plants like this one that have been pruned into a 3 or 4 foot tall tree. There is something wonderfully tropical about these plants that’s particularly restorative in January: if I close my eyes and take a deep breath I can almost imagine myself wandering through a seaside garden in Hawaii and sipping in the sun.
