No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~Hal Borland
Winter still has its grip on us here with late season snow and cold, but I take solace in this quote and know that spring will come in her own time.
And when I read a quote like this, I know that there is a spiritual awakening that happens when spring arrives…new growth both in the 
garden and me. All through the winter I have been preparing and growing just like the garden… to be one with it and whatever it brings me. I welcome spring with the open arms of a friend who has been gone too long.
The joy of spring is revealed in the way nature paints the landscape. The barren brown earth comes alive suddenly from its winter slumber. First the fresh green shoots appear all over followed by bright colors dotting the land, drawing in our eye and opening the senses that have slumbered all winter.
My spring mantra is to let loose my creative side more. I have begun the taking of careful notes as winter has given back the soil, and I will explore the changes and designs I wish to incorporate this year as I paint the garden.
Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil. ~Bishop Reginald Heber
But for now let’s look at the celebrations this new spring season is bringing in the Northern Hemisphere:
Beth@PlantPostings told us of a special spring day in her garden in A time to every purpose. The sights, sounds, scents and sensations of spring bring it all back as I wait with Beth for spring to arrive. And the arrival of the hummers is a special event we both await.
Holley@Roses and Other Gardening Joys shares a special story of Fields of Gold.
One of the Seasonal Celebrations I have always looked forward to in spring is going by the home in which my great-grandmother lived most of her adult life. And where she planted a beautiful garden. I can remember playing in her garden as a child. I spent many summers there under her crape myrtle trees, playing in the dirt. Now I always make a special trip to go by there in spring, because that’s when the daffodils bloom.
Holley will be digging up some of these special daffs to make fields of gold around her home. Such a special spring Holley will have every year wrapped in her great-grandmothers love.
At Life-Change-Compost, Susan Troccolo sings a celebration of spring with her tribute to the American Robin. Susan tells the story of 
the robin’s nest near her front door and the wonder of watching this special event.
The early-bird song of the American Robin is often the first to tell us that spring is finally coming.
I also wait for the first chorus from the robins to herald in spring. And the hope to have them nest again and watch the fledglings take flight.
Karin@Southern Meadows shared the top 10 things she likes best about spring. From birds to butterflies to beautiful azaleas Karin hits many of my favorite spring things. But I think my favorites on her list are sinking my hands into the soil and planting a veg garden.
Loredana@Blogging Away took us on a lovely walk making Winter and Spring Reflections. She ended up at a wonderful greenhouse filled with spring plants growing. And she discovered snapdragons one of my favorite flowers that I love to grow from seed. What a wonderful way to spend a cold winter day.
Andrea@igardendaily takes us on a special trip that celebrates spring for her, The Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle. Attending one show makes Andrea think of spring and celebrate the change of seasons. She certainly brought it to life for me, and this is one show I hope to visit in the coming year or so.
Michelle@The Sage Butterfly presents the Lessons of Winter. Her appreciation of winter brings her the joy of spring:
Spring bursts out with such fervor and beauty. It reminds us of all the things that life can offer, such as innocence, joy, creativity. We cannot walk out of our door without seeing its smile in the abundance of flowers, the gushing buds, or the drenching of color.
Cathy@Words and Herbs is celebrating spring in Bavaria with the coming of St. Joseph’s Day on March 19th signaling the end of winter. Cathy is waiting anxiously for those first spring flowers to appear especially the native scillas a favorite flower of mine too.
B-A-G@Experiments with Plants‘ celebration post takes us from the thought of the spring season, in London, with stored energy of bulbs to the idea of springs used as devices of support, and right back to the garden of discovery.
Now let’s turn to the celebrations of the new autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere:
Bernie@My Dry Tropics Garden brought her wonderful Australian garden to life in this post. She recently commented to me:
As you head into Spring, we head into our Autumn down here in Oz. In my north-eastern corner of Australia, the Autumn is not marked by lovely colour changes or markedly cooler days. We do however get a slight drop in temps which makes life far more comfortable after a horrid summer. The big difference though is the dramatic drop in humidity levels. We can get out into our gardens during the day once the early Autumn days arrive.
I think it would be fun to experience autumn around the world or spring for that matter.
Closer to the equator, a different season is already happening:
Andrea@Andrea in this Lifetime is marking the dry season in the Philippines with the Horticulture Show. What a gorgeous outdoor event. I have always wished we would have more flower shows outdoors as the sunlight makes the plants shine.
Also on Andrea’s other blog, Pure Oxygen Generators, she profiles her Dry Season Blooms. The blooms are so colorful and tropical in both her seasons. I still am in awe of the fact that she has two wonderful blogs where she writes frequently showing off gorgeous photos.
Well there you have our Seasonal Celebrations from around the world. Every post is beautifully written with amazing photos showcasing the talents of these wonderful bloggers. I really love reading all these posts that teach me so much about my surroundings and our fantastic planet. I hope you will join me for our next installment in this meme which will start June 1st.
All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar. ~Helen Hayes
***I am painting this post of the beginning of spring with the first crocus, snow crocus or Crocus sieberi, that still hang on despite the frigid temps and snow that is continuing right through the beginning of spring. They are true resilient heroes of my early spring garden.
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Next up on the blog: Monday I will have another Simply the Best-Herb. And before you know it, April will be here with a Garden Journal wrap up of my garden.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden. See my most current post now.
Please remember, to comment click on the title of the post and the page will reload with the comments section.
All of you are great writers! Wow! if we collect all these writings of all these garden blogs, we can some kind of mythical, magical literature full of wonders of the nature-world.
What’s the meme that is going to start from April 1? If possible, I will try to join. Thanks.
Thanks KL. The next part of Seasonal Celebrations will be the celebration of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the Southern Hemisphere. It starts with a post I will do on June 1st. Then anyone can write a post to let us know how you celebrate the change of seasons. The post has to be written before the 20th of June.
Hope you can join us.
Hurray for spring! It’s finally here, the day I’ve been waiting and planning for. Happy first day of spring, Donna!
Thanks Christy. I am now awaiting the first spring day…another foot of snow to nourish my garden has fallen this past week.
The calendar says spring, and so does my inner clock, but there are big fluffy snowflakes dancing in the air this morning.
I’ll return to read what the gardener’s have to share later today.
Judith
Lots of fluffy flakes here too that amounted to a fresh foot of snow…soon the first spring day will be here.
Thanks Donna – for another thoughtful post. I definitely need to remember the first quote during some of the harder winter months! I can’t wait to read some of the other posts by the bloggers joining in Seasonal Celebrations. I, too, joined in but I think I did it a bit wrong as my Seasonal Celebration post (Flower and Garden Shows: What’s Not To Like!) posted today. Anyway, sorry about that but I did include your meme and a link so maybe some folks will hop on over. And now, to reading…
Thanks again!
So glad you joined in Andrea. I was able to quickly add your post in the wrap up. It is there now so no worries. I try to do the wrap up on the change of seasons so if you can next time just publish your post between the first of June and the solstice. I hope you will once again join in.
Thanks so much Donna!
My pleasure as I love to have you participate.
Thank you for this lovely round up of seasonal posts Donna – I’m looking forward to reading them all this evening as the sleet and rain beats against the windows! Happy first day of spring, even if it is still chilly! 😀
Seems spring and winter are tugging at each other for position. Right now it is sunny and the snow is melting. By the end of the week I may see my spring garden.
Such a wonderful post to appreciate the seasons. I love that first quote, too. When I see the first signs of budding and flowering, it makes me giddy with delight that spring has decided to come. Happy spring!
Happy Spring Michelle….glad you enjoyed all the celebrations of the season. Waiting for my first spring day here so I can see those first buds break free.
Painting the garden is a lovely idea. Thanks for including my post.
Your posts are always a pleasure to read and especially those for the meme. I am honored you are participating B-A-G.
What a delightful post, Donna. I love how people celebrate the changing seasons in small but significant ways. For me, spring means my gardening efforts go into high gear. Getting things cleaned up and moving plants around–projects I enjoy so much while my Daphne odora sends her sweet scent to caress my nose. Cheers!
Sounds wonderful Grace…once the new snow melts and the garden dries a bit I can get started in the garden with chores too…oh and those first peas need to be planted soon I hope!
I can’t explain it but I have that same sense of joy about spring this year, more, much more than in the past. There is a sense of reveling in each new plant that pops up through the ground. I really enjoyed your post and your photos. Thank you for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed the post…we are awaiting the new snow to melt so the plants can begin their spring growth…then the party begins.
Happy Spring, but I disagree with Hal, Spring misses us some years. But glad it is officially Spring.I love your first photo. Beautiful.
Thanks Donna….we always get spring but it may not be as idyllic as I would like….right now our spring has brought a foot of fresh spring snow…the bird wars are starting at the suet feeder with the starlings return as the natural food sources are covered. Supposed to warm up next weekend finally with normal temps.
Glad you liked that first shot…it was fun and interesting positioning myself to get it just right. Those crocus are buried and will unfurl again once this snow melts.
I always enjoy this meme. I have loved hearing everyone’s thoughts about spring. And I love that blogging allows us to learn about the seasons and gardens from around the world. It’s so interesting to hear how every gardener celebrates the change of seasons, no matter where they live.
Holley that is exactly why I started this meme as I was interested in the celebration of the seasons around the world…so much fun to learn!!
What a lovely post Donna..I will have to visit these other blogs..I can do that on my IPAD now… Michelle
So glad Michelle and the ipad is fun for reading blogs!
Sweet, sweet crocus popping up … I love the first shot especially, Donna. It speaks so much to the bold arrival of spring’s first flowers.
Thanks so much Cat…I loved the scene when it presented itself and wanted to be sure to capture it.
That first photo sums it all up beautifully Donna, what a great shot. And even though looking out the window it is hard to believe that Spring is on its way, you are right, it will indeed come and we can all do a little unfurling and unleash some creativity.
Spring is soon on its way Janet…that picture certainly sums up my spring so far…the snow has won and covered the crocus but not for long.
The snow in your photo seems to be stepping back to allow the crocuses their space. Happy Spring Donna! Susie
It did then winter came again to reclaim the garden. Now the snow is receding again and spring will be here soon!
Even though it is officially spring, we have a ways to go before our snow melts. I’m definitely looking forward to spring blossoms.
The warm spring snow is melting more snow…soon I know the spring garden will burst with lot of blooms to energize us again.
Your post made me feel springy but the weather sure doesn’t.
Oh I know it has been awful here…we have about 6 inches again on top of the 8 from Tuesday and more falling through tomorrow…very cold…no spring expect for a day or 2 when I could take these pictures..these crocus bloomed fast and are now buried…
What a beautiful photo of the crocus….they seem to be glowing! I am definitely walking taller and there is a spring in my step now that we’ve passed the dark months….it’s spring, hurray!
Elaine
Thanks for the reminder Elaine that the dark months are gone and there is so much light to celebrate.
Such beautiful images and they have truly raised my spirits as we continue to have five types of unfavourable weather at once every day!
Catherine it seems so many are still awaiting spring to finally stay…I think she will soon and it will be grand indeed…so glad you loved the post!
Hi Donna, thank you so much for highlighting my post. You did such a nice job summarizing everyone’s share. I’ve visited a few but still catching up. I really enjoy your meme, what a wonderful idea to celebrate the beginning of each season. I’ll be back to read some of your posts I missed. Happy Spring! 🙂
It is an honor Loredana to have you participate. Here’s to spring and the beginning of a lovely new season!!
I love the photo of the beautiful crocus with the snow in the background. Yes, spring will come! Thanks also for pointing to some great blog posts.
Glad I could point you to some wonderful blogs and posts…spring is here and she will show herself fully soon.
Donna, thanks for your time and effort that you put into this post! Great links and wonderful pictures. The first image is fantastic!
Thanks Tatyana. I really enjoy the the wrap up of this meme as the bloggers who contribute do such a fantastic job. Love to have you participate anytime.
an inspiration to fellow garden bloggers Donna. Will take me some time following through on the contributors but the names are familar and will enjoy doing catch up. Love the crocus in soft focus here – more like chalices than cups.
p.s. it’s cold, sleety wet snow and nothing much to celebrate here at the moment with spring at east 4 weeks behind itself.
Laura, I think we will actually be right on track as soon as the snow melts. I am honored by your comment…the crocuses do glow like chalices don’t they!
Fantastic wrap-up, Donna! Your Crocus photos are stunning! You are way ahead of me this year (flip-flopped from last year–weird, huh?). I still don’t have any blooms in my garden, and it just keeps snowing! But, as you know, I was able to escape a bit to Florida last week, which was much-needed late-winter therapy. Hence, my tardy comment on this fabulous post. Happy Spring, dear Donna!
Thank you Beth…those crocus were soon covered by more and more snow so we are still waiting for spring to come again and stay. Then we should see things speed into spring. Glad you enjoyed FL…you needed it!!
I love this meme, Donna! I learn so much from around-the-world gardeners whose blogs I read. I am continually amazed at the writing and gardening talent ‘out there’. I feel truly blessed to have this experience, and to have made friends such as you. P. x
Oh Pam you are too sweet…this meme is starting its second year and it continues to amaze me too.