Slow painting

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Now the green blade rises


At last. I'm not ready for it, but life is stirring again. Above, a green blade of garlic. Hopefully the cold winter has done it good. Below, the blackcurrant bushes are budding. I keep meaning to prune out some of the old wood, but the branches are so sturdy that I need the loppers and I keep forgetting to take them with me when I go to the plot.

But another weekend has gone by without any allotment gardening. Looking ahead on the calendar I can see that we don't have too much time in hand. I try to comfort myself by thinking of the Scandinavian and North American gardeners who have to wait until the snow melts each spring.


At home I'm planning a new border, a very small one, but I'm deep in catalogues and websites and lists of long-desired plants. What variety of clematis should I have? Can I fit in euphorbia, bergamot, astrantia, asters, rudbeckia...? Meantime I content myself with snowdrops. Every year they take me by surprise. One day there's nothing, and the next they're in full bloom.

20 comments:

Mark Willis said...

Linda, they say that it is better to travel hopefully than to arrive...
Savour the POTENTIAL of all those plants you might buy while you can.

Ali said...

Linda I lust after those gorgeous snowdrops and have wanted to get some of my very own for ages... alas Brisbane is not quite the climate for them. For garlic either for that matter.

Lucky lady :)

Jo said...

Spring is definitely springing. Another month or two and we'll be in the thick of it.

GretchenJoanna said...

Three lovely pictures of perfect and potent buds and sprouts - I love them! I think I'll go outside and study all the swelling buds in my garden... When the sun comes out, that is.

L. D. said...

My goodness that is refreshing to see that there is life under the snow.

Ashley said...

that is COOOOL!!!! i want to learn how to garden So bad!!! but i live in AZ... soil and weather are no good for planting!

黄清华 Wong Ching Wah said...

Beautiful beginnings ...

happyone said...

Oh that is wonderful to see. It will be awhile here yet before we see that.
Thanks for giving me hope that this cold winter will end one day. :-)

Kenneth Larsson said...

Springtime! Yes! :-)

Have a nice day!

Peggy said...

We gave garlic a miss this year as we have had so many problems growing it.It is great to see so many little green shoots appearing. I keep thinking we will run out of time but everything gets done at some stage.Seedlings going into warm soil will surely do much better?!

Kelli said...

Lovely photos. I'm trying to enjoy the leisurely Feb as soon it will be work, work, work in the garden!

fer said...

welcome spring! so cool to see so much life on your garden

Randy said...

I love your photos on this blog too. The Snowdrops are lovely. I have never seen anything like it.

Oakland Daily Photo said...

It's always a thrill to see new green popping up from the earth. Chases the blues away to see the renewal.

Fay McKenzie said...

All looking hopeful and getting ready for the onset of spring.....!

Hope the garlic had a great nap over the winter - bet the cold will make it produce hefty bulbs for you...........:)

Jacqui said...

Looking good. I see our garlic has managed to nose it's way out of the hebridean turf.
x

donna said...

Snowdrops are my most favorite of all the early spring blooms. You have buds and green blades of garlic and I only have 20" of snow covering the landscape. We are going south for a few days....but only 4 hours south to Chicago. I need a rest and am looking forward to it.

donna

Jenn Jilks said...

Thank you for visiting My World !
So glad you are into catalogues, we are still in below zero temps. Little promise of spring, but I know it is coming!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

My garlic is starting to come up, too. I never see snowdrop bulbs at the nursery. I'll have to order some. I love those early blooms!

saverio otranto said...

mi piace la prima foto
trasmette speranza