It Almost Felt Like Spring!

My nose caught a whiff of her before I ever saw a blossom. Daphne odora! It felt so good to be outside in dry conditions with the temperature in the fifties and even a bit of sunshine now and then. For the past month, I’d been looking out the front window at her branches laden with buds whose centers each held a spot of dark pink petals ready to burst forth. I hadn’t yet seen any of them open until yesterday when I ventured into the garden to do a little primping and pruning. When I smelled that familiar sweet aroma, I thought for a moment that it was my imagination - perhaps wishful thinking - so I made a beeline for the plant and saw them – two little blossoms open and producing enough fragrance to reach my nose at a distance of thirty feet. I felt the same rush of excitement that I experience every year when Daphne O. takes the stage and announces her presence.

I wandered about the garden at an easy pace, clipping off the oldest hellebore blossoms before they set any seeds realizing just how colorful it had become in the past week. Every hellebore clump is now in full bloom. As I tended to their needs, I decided to count the plants so that the next time someone asks me how many there are, I will be able to give them an answer. I counted 275 hellebore plants in full bloom.

The colorful hellebore display is enhanced by clumps of crocus here and there – mostly purple ones because that is my favorite crocus color. Bees were buzzing in and out of every blossom and some were even attempting to force their way into buds not quite open enough for an easy entry. 

I think I might be almost too enamored with hellebores at this time of the year especially when I start to think that if they were the only plants filling up every inch of the garden, I would be totally content and happy. Remembering that they will not look like this all year long, I quickly come back to reality. I would miss the many plants that are yet to have their turn on the garden stage - trilliums, ferns, hostas, clematis, peonies, daylilies, fuchsias, and the rest of the garden cast that take turns under the spotlight in that annual garden production of “See Me Bloom”. They each don their newest and latest beautiful costumes taking turns being the star of the show. As the seasons change, they put on their more subtle (yet tasteful) costumes, content to step back and play supporting roles for the latest star.

Suddenly, a chill filled the air signaling that it was time to come back to reality. Winter still had top billing - drat it! Drops falling from the sky gave notice that it was time to put away the tools and head back inside to a comfy chair, a hot cup of tea, and my dream of this year’s garden production with its full cast of characters in their latest costumes. This is only Act I, Scene 1. Oh, what sweet anticipation!