Wait, little garden, wait. It’s not April even though the weather makes us feel like May.
New bulb shoots are popping up all over, which is fine, but you’re also blooming like preteen girls at a party, and there’s no music yet.
Wait, little garden, wait.
No, sweet daffodils, it’s not yet time even if you’re very cold hardy. Please wait . . . and tulips, don’t even think about sending up flowers yet. You can’t stand a sustained low of 27F like we had this morning.
Wait, little garden, wait. Spring’s youth flirts with you, dizzying your thoughts with blue skies, soft rain and heady temperatures. He is only playing with you and telling you lies. Winter isn’t finished with us yet.
No, roses, I won’t buy you tender annuals and perennials to place at your feet. I don’t care if the big box stores are already selling them for winter weary gardeners. Buying them is like wearing sandals in the snow. They’ll freeze.
Instead, keep your leaves tightly wound. Don’t even unfurl them. No, you can’t have Mill’s Magic Rose Mix until the end of March. You have good soil. You’re not starving. It’s simply not time. I will clip you back, but only take this as a sign of good things yet to come.
Wait, little garden, wait. I have so much to do to prepare you for spring. Easter is late this year, but it will come.
Don’t be fooled by early spring’s pretty glances. We’ll have yet another freeze. It’s only early March, and we’ve much more cold before Ole Man Winter is through with us.
Wait, little garden . . . wait.
Oh my, thanks for the beautiful reminder, Dee. I am guilty of getting caught up in these warmer days!
To say that your words, “wait little garden, wait,” brought tears to my eyes is no exaggeration. I LOVED this. YOu are as tender hearted and dear as those roses you tend.
Lovingly,
Sharon (aka Rose of Sharon)
Hey Dee – Can you post about your hellebores? They’re my workhorse genus for shade. I’m just curious how they do in your drier climate…
Everything looks so… springlike! We are still brown and muddy,although my stand of snowdrops bravely bloomed. Tomorrow…however: more snow. Glad to see your blooms.
Hi Dee – we are finally having a bit of snow melt. It is slush and soon we will have spring. I choose you for the Stylish Blogger Award. You do have style. 🙂 Gloria
Hi, Dee! So true! I think we are a teeny bit ahead of you, and I did fertilize the roses and within days I could see the difference! It’s in the 70’s today, so heaven knows what message the plants are absorbing. But the snow on the outer mountains did not escape my notice today. You are so right!
I love this post but am tired of waiting!! My garden is not as eager as I am and still slumbers under a blanket of mulch, tossing out toes and elbows of green that pop like prairie dogs into the early spring.
Hi, Dee!
Love this post. So beautifully written. 🙂
I love this prose Dee. I will be singing “wait little garden wait” as I walk through my garden seeing early buds.
We are playing catch-up here, as in things are just now starting to catch-up to where they should be for late winter. So now everything is happening all at once, and not in a slow unfolding we usually see. Daffodils, camellias, hellebores, quince, magnolia, forsythia, crocus are all opening together. I hope your garden can wait it out until it safe.
What a sweet post, Dee. So beautifully written. We’re are singing the same song here – I had a frost last night and a low of 38, so winter isn’t quite done with us here yet, either. Wether or not we get another freeze is anyone’s guess, but technically, we are still in the danger zone until at least mid-March and sometimes the end of March. My Daffs do like the break from the close to 80F days! Anticipation 😉
Dear Dee, I sure hope the flowers take your sweet advice to heart…Now if Mother nature and Father Winter will get together and decide to be just as sweet. Perhaps, one or two light freezes instead of the late season doozies they often throw at us; then, all will be fine in the garden. gail
I know people (I won’t say how) who wear sandals in the snow.
It is so scary to see the precocious sprouts and blooms. I hope your garden makes it through the cold unscathed.
Hey Dee,
Very nice prose. I can just imagine preteen girls flirting with a too fresh spring.
I’m shocked I have helleborus in bloom from new hybrids that arrived in mid-October from Skaggit Gardens. I was afraid they wouldn’t make it never mind bloom like this.
Please visit my blog. I redesigned it and quite proud of it.
I hope your sweet garden heeds your kind and wise words, dear Dee. Pure poetry, and so very true.
Precious post Dee! I hope your garden is listening. We are still buried up to our knees in the garden so no worry for my little twigs to spout too soon. I hope the last bit of winter will be kind to you! Everything looks so lovely!
Oh Carol, they are such party girls, they all want to dance. Thank you about it being pretty. We have a long way to go until April 20.
What a sweet post. And you know, I can actually imagine you saying those things out loud to your plants as you get out and work in the garden.
I guess our gardens are as anxious as us for spring. I’m hoping to do a little clean up this afternoon but I saw the forecast for next week and the snow word was in there again!
GSS, I know I can hardly wait, but we all must. It is cold here this morning and will be again tomorrow morning. I mean, it’s only March?? What does my dear garden expect? Congrats on your blogaversary.~~Dee
I loved your metaphors in this piece
Thanks so much Kathy. I feel like they are party girls, those plants.
Our gardens may be just as anxious as we are to leap into spring…too bad we both have to wait.
Yes, we know just how they feel. Thanks for stopping by Leslie.