The force of Spring

Oh, spring came to my garden
And caught it unaware
Wearing just a few old leaves
And a dejected air.

But when spring left my garden,
Its work so deftly done,
Many, many daffodils
Were dancing in the sun.
-Velma D. Bates

It's amazing the difference of a just few days when the sun finally does come out. I took the picture above a week ago, and this is what the garden looked like yesterday.

It was a warm, sunny weekend in Seattle and Easter Sunday was beautiful. I put a ham and some scalloped potatoes in the oven for our dinner and then spent the afternoon outside.

Spring is the nicest time of year to work like a dog. Summer will soon turn into weeding and watering chores, and then Fall is just hard, dirty cleanup. But at this perfect season on a perfect April day, everything is fresh and green and favorite bulbs are blooming like magic. The glossy allium plants that have been thriving in the same spot for decades are shooting up their amazing flower stalks. Spring is like seeing good old friends again.


Of course there is a tendency for the gardener to get carried away and then need an Advil. This view is looking down from the front porch into the little corner where John likes to sit before dinner on warm afternoons. We call it his wine garden.

I should have taken a before picture, because the pretty stones were covered with old bark, Christmas tree needles, dirt and weeds. On Sunday I got the sudden idea I would clean it up, which of course turned into a big project. I yanked all the stones out, raked and leveled the ground (somewhat) then laid them down again in a few minutes without thinking. They fit back together like an easy jigsaw puzzle. If I had tried hard and fussed to do it perfectly, it probably would have taken me all afternoon. As it is, I think they look pretty good.

Nothing ever grows in that dry, dark corner of the house, so I transplanted some of the awful "baby tears" ground cover that has invaded every flower bed. Since I can't get rid of it, I might as well put it to good use somewhere. So the space is all ready for John's new garden bench, and his summer buddy is waiting.