The Freshness of Spring

After a very dry Winter, Spring has brought with it such welcome rain. Rain that has sparked the new growth of this new season.  The grass is growing green again. After their deciduous Winter, the first leaves are unfurling on the plane tree. Creamy, fragrant blossoms cover our mandarin tree. The bees and the butterflies are busy, attracted by the emergence of more and more flowers. While I am excited too, by the blue of the cornflowers and the deep orange buds on the hibiscus, I am more enchanted this year by the freshness of Spring's green.

 New leaves emerging on the Plane Trees.


A honeybee foraging in a mandarin blossom.

A little cucumber seedling.

Feathery new growth on  Yarrow.

My own enthusiasm for the garden, which had waned with the lack of rain, has returned anew. Little seedlings, cucumber and snow peas mostly, have been tucked into warm, replenished soil. Pots of multicoloured petunias have been planted up and will no doubt flower soon. Clumps of day lilies have been divided and replanted in the little garden by the front gates and a dwarf mulberry tree settled into a pot where it will hopefully thrive. It seems that rush of fresh Spring green, that followed that most welcome rain, has lifted my inner-gardener's hopes!

I have deeply felt the change from Winter to Spring this year, more strongly than I can remember in years gone by.  How about you? How have you responded to the turning of nature's seasons in your part of the world?

Meg

p.s. I am keenly aware of how lucky we have been to receive rain here. There are many in Australia; farming families and communities, their stock and our wild creatures; struggling with terrible drought.  I hope that the heavens will open over their parched lands soon. Xx