Spring has Sprung!

There are flowers blooming all over my cottage garden~ welcome Spring!

Earlier than they've ever been (due to our mild winter and warm early spring, I'm sure) these tiny blooms are the first to show their pretty faces. Minature daffodils and white crocus sway in the gentle breeze...the blue pink mix of Bethlehem Sage are the decendants of a plant I moved from my grandmother's garden over 15 years ago - I love them! And that purple one...it was a gift from a friend and neither of us have any idea what kind of plant it is - it's stem is woody, it profusely blooms hundreds of tiny lilac purple flowers before it leafs out, and the fragrance is absolutely heavenly! Do you know what it might be?

On Friday, I raked and tidied my little garden in town, freeing the patches of purple and white crocuses and wee white starflowers - I'm sure I heard them giggle as they warmed in the sun! My cottage garden is calling for some attention - all those neglected fall chores returning to haunt me. I can't wait to get at it!

The Banner at the Beginning of the Parade

"The Earth laughs in flowers."

~ Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Yesterday was a glorious spring day in our part of the world ~ soft sunshine, greening grass, plumping lilac buds and the first float in the miraculous, awakening parade ~ Crocus! My garden invited me out all morning until I finally heeded the call, turned off the computer, put down my beads and wire and went out to muck around! Raking, digging, pruning...it was a flurry of sticks and leaves and old boughs from a Christmas wreath...all into the compost to reveal a fresh stage for my bold purple crocus!

Most years, I keep a garden journal...notes, plans, drawings, musings, quotes, records, dreams...this is a page from a couple of years ago. Clearly, the love affair is at least a few years old!

A beautiful patch of over 100 crocuses!