Tiny Treasures

Yesterday, I bundled up and prepared for an afternoon outside in torrential rains doing garden consultations. Boy, was I surprised when the sun came out just after noon. Spring was in the air as it warmed up to the point where I sat outside with my client and literally watched the flowers bloom! It was magical. As my eyes first spanned the property, all I saw was tired lawn and vole tracks everywhere. The longer I sat, the closer I looked. Soon, I noticed that the lawn was filled with tiny tufts of species crocus foliage. Wait a minute, there's a flower bud. Hey, when did that bunch of crocuses open? They weren't there before. Flower after flower appeared, as if by magic, before my eyes. Now I can't say that they were all open when I first sat down. Maybe they were and I missed them as I was so used to looking at the barren winter landscape that I didn't expect to see flowers. Or maybe, just maybe, I happened to be there when they emerged and flowered. It certainly made me spend the rest of the day a lot more aware of my surroundings. When I arrived home, out to my own gardens I went. There they were, my very own beloved species crocus, in flower everywhere. I had forgotten how many little bulbs I had popped in at the tail end of the season, just before the snow arrived. Snowdrops too. I added hundreds of them. As I turned the corner to the south side of my house, there was the very first Iris reticulata flower in full bloom. Never underestimate the power of a tiny flower to stir your soul. I have a feeling things are going to be in fast forward now with the weather promising to be in the 40's and 50's all next week. I have a serious case of spring fever, that wondrous feeling of anticipation that wakes me up at sunrise every morning because I can't wait to get outside and see what's up. Spring officially starts next Sunday, March 20th but for me, it started yesterday.