“Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
To-day the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair,
No miracle so strangely rare.
I wonder what will next be there!”
~L.H. Bailey
Let’s face it, once spring arrives I am looking for color. After a typically long, white winter, I am color-starved. And my soul is longing for green growth popping through the brown ground quickly, putting out flowers of yellow, pink, blue and purple.
And oh all that green is so energizing to this gardener. Suddenly where there was only white snow or clay soil, now new green growth is everywhere I look. And of course green is the perfect harbinger of spring, as it symbolizes birth and growth.
When the bulbs start blooming, I know just where to start looking in my garden. After years of closely observing my land, I know the first pop of color will come from crocus, snowdrops, iris reticulata, hyacinths and daffodils.
The warm spring sun glowing through the yellow daffodils is a heart stopper for me. Yellow, in small doses, is said to inspire hope and good cheer. And that is exactly what I feel, when I see the first bright yellow daffodils blooming against the sparse landscape. I feel a burst of energy as each bunch pops up around the garden surrounding me in yellow goodness.
I absolutely adore purple in the spring garden….and these iris reticulata are a welcome sight. Purple symbolizes creativity and is uplifting, calming and spiritual. And a favorite color of mine. So having lots of purple crocus and iris feeds my soul in early spring.
Blue is not easy to find flowering in the garden, which is why I love seeing it in spring. Many early blooms bring bright blues into the garden palette; Glory of the Snow and Scilla (pictured here) are two of my favorite spring blue blooms. And what better color for spring than blue which symbolizes new beginnings.
Of course my spring garden wouldn’t be complete without romantic, playful pink. I make sure I have lots of pink hyacinths blooming along with hellebores (pictured at the top of the post).
And even after a white winter, I like having white blooms. White jumps in the spring garden. Symbolizing beginnings, purity and clearing out the clutter, white balances all the colors that are causing a riot in my spring garden.
But it is the many shades of green, I think, that gives my soul life. I catch my breath to see more and more brown shift to green as the season goes on. And not just the green on the ground, but the green suspended again in the sky on sturdy branches. When the green takes over in spring, I know there is no turning back now. Spring is really here. Nature has returned to the growing time, and I am refreshed. Knowing I too am growing, shifting and nurturing myself. Reveling in a new-found energy. Ready to get back to the soil.
“The world is exploding in emerald, sage, and lusty chartreuse – neon green with so much yellow in it. It is an explosive green that, if one could watch it moment by moment throughout the day, would grow in every dimension.” ~Amy Seidl, Early Spring: An Ecologist and Her Children Wake to a Warming World
I hope you will join me in celebrating spring or whatever your season is, in whatever way you most enjoy. Read how to join in the celebration below.
Join In The Seasonal Celebration:
As I feel spring’s call, to celebrate this new season coming soon, I hope you will join me. I welcome those Down Under who will be celebrating the coming of fall to join in too.
All you have to do is write a post between now and March 2oth telling me how you are or will be celebrating the new season. Then leave a comment on this post with your link so I can include your link in my summary post on March 21st.
I do hope you will consider joining in the Seasonal Celebrations meme as we celebrate the new season arriving soon to your corner of the world.
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In A Vase On Monday
One of the first spring bushes to bloom is forsythia. And I can’t resist cutting a few branches, to bring inside to force into early yellow flowers.
This wonderful forsythia never seems to be at a loss for these magnificent blooms. But this year, the forced branches are really covered in yellow.
I couldn’t think of a more perfect vase to display the forsythia, than my grandmother’s prized blue vase. Seeing the forsythia blooming indoors, I know spring is just about here.
I am taking a short break from my blog this week and next. Please note that I will be a bit delayed getting around to everyone to read blogs and reply to comments.
I am joining in with a few memes this week as I prepare this vase: Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful meme, In a Vase on Monday, and Today’s Flowers hosted by Denise@An English Girl Rambles.
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Next up on the blog:
I will be taking a blog break now through next week, but I’ll catch up with reading blogs and comments as I can.
I am linking in with Michelle for her Nature Notes meme at her new blog just for Nature Notes. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Tuesday.
All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2016. Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.
Bright yellow Forsythia is perfect in your blue glass vase. I’m not so keen on Forsythia in the garden but I think it is lovely in a vase.
I agree…I only have the one low growing forsythia which looks wonderful, but regular full-size forsythias are not as attractive and they don’t flower well either due to our winter.
Such a wonderful post, Donna!
We have two feet of snow now and I am colour-starved too. Yellow is not my favourite colour (or rather: bright yellow is not), but I stayed for a long while admiring your daffodil photo and letting its sunshine caress my soul.
Again, enjoy your blog break and have a sunny and cheerful beginning of March!
Glad you enjoyed the post Sara….I love the daffs glaring yellow only in spring….different than our deeper fall yellow. I hope your snow melts soon and spring dances in for you!
It’s exciting to look ahead and bulbs are such a great way to kick off the new season. The forsythia blooms in that blue vase is such a stunning combination. Enjoy your break!
I am so surprised that coming back from break, our early bulbs are blooming. And I will show a few tomorrow!
I don’t know what it is with daffodils, but they make me smile too – and even though yellow is certainly not my favourite flower colour, I have to have daffodils! All your spring bulbs are lovely, I bet you are happy the snow is going and spring is arriving. I have never forced forsythia, it’s not far from flowering in my garden but I will take a few branches inside today as your vase was so pretty! Enjoy your break and happy gardening 🙂
Hope your forsythia bloomed indoors Helene! Spring is here early this year.
Happy Spring! May your year ahead be filled with beauty and color 🙂
Thanks so much Aaron!
Another grand vase and another grand post. Thanks.
You are too kind thanks John!
Your post definitely suggests that spring is here! Lovely photos!
We were surprised to see spring was here when we returned from our break! Exciting!
Oh yes, bet we all yearn for colour and spring alike, Donna. Beautiful pics and the forsythia in the blue vase looks just stunning. Have a good week 🙂
We had a great break, and now spring is here early! Time to celebrate….
Such beautiful flowers! Wonderful!
Thanks Mary!
Nothing sings of Spring like a Forsythia, love the blue vase combination.
So glad you enjoyed the vase Amelia!
I have a blue vase so I will keep your combo in mind when the Forsythia blooms. Do you know the name of that beautiful red violet Iris reticulata?
Linda the iris is likely ‘Purple Gem’….it is not marked but that is the most likely iris in that color.
A very touching post and a hope-giving vase. Have a happy colourful spring, Donna!
Thanks Anca…spring is here!
I love the bright forsythia blooms! I noticed some yellow blooms towards the bottom of the vase, which I at first took to be painted on the vase itself but they’re forsythia blooms too, aren’t they? Blooming under water is quite a feat in my book!
Some are blooming under water, and there are also some yellow flowers painted on the vase. Glad you enjoyed the vase Kris.
that little deep purple iris speaks to me
One of my favorites too Diana….’Purple Gem’
Your grandmother’s blue vase is a lovely way to display the first signs of spring. The yellow forsythia is nice. I noticed a few places around here where it is blooming now.
I think it may be a couple more weeks here before they bloom here….so I am glad I did force some indoors.
I am so pleased you are now able to taste the first signs of spring again with these first few splashes of colour – and I know just what you mean about the green… The forsythia is stunning in the blue vase – it’s too easy to brand it as ‘common’ but you certainly can’t discount its prettiness when you see it like this. Thanks for sharing and hope your blog break serves its purpose, whatever it is.
Thanks Cathy…we needed a break and went to visit family in Arizona where it was 90 and California where it was in the 70s….the sun and warmth did the trick…we returned to spring in our garden…what a surprise!
You have so much in flower this year Donna – such a contrast to last spring! My garden is well behind yours – I love your vase of forsythia and am looking forward to having the same myself very soon. Enjoy your blogging break! xx
Actually Julie these flowers were from last April, but upon our return from break there were early bulbs blooming…so a big surprise. Spring is early here now! I will have some of the flowers blooming in my post tomorrow.
Color is found in all the birds of the winter garden. At least that keeps the garden lively. The southern blogs are showing a lot of color now, all the blooms of bulbs. Have a wonderful, safe trip Donna. Hope younger some color.
I wish it were true in my garden, but the colorful birds stay to the woods here, and visit special feeders not in my garden. But surprise, surprise we came home from break to spring blooming and some birds returning.
The trip was wonderful, warm and sunny!
I haven’t been outside today but you have brought spring into my studio…thanks!
I am so glad I could bring you a bit of spring…it seems it is early here this year, and we are dancing a happy dance!
I love seeing all those spring flowers. Even with our unseasonably warm weather, I don’t have any early buds showing yet. And I do miss having forsythia to cut and force into bloom indoors.
I bet you will have spring blooming soon Jean…it has begun already here on the 9th….amazing!
No matter how biased i am with blues, because we have very few of them in the hot climate, i still prefer my favorite, the snowdrops! But that striped blue is really lovely
I love the blues too Andrea! And snowdrops are too wonderful not to love….
I love Scilla. It carpets big areas of Lincoln Park along the lake in blue, then quietly disappears.
You have the soul of a poet, Donna, lovely words, and a perfect combination of blue and yellow together. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog before you went on your break. I’m attempting to get my vegetable beds ready despite the continuous rainy weather, so my celebrations surround each row liberated from weeds. Viva la escardada jardín!
Wet here too so I am delayed starting veggies even though an early spring has started!
Hello, I am like you color starved. I am looking foward to seeing our spring flowers. Your flowers and images are just beautiful. Lovely words and post.
Have a happy new week ahead!
Well spring has bloomed here slowly but early! Hoping you have color there too now!
Your photos of spring flowers are exquisite Donna! And the Forsythia in a blue vase is perfect – a reminder to me to go and cut some more to bring indoors. We have a little snow today, so spring is taking its time here too.
When we returned from our trip, spring had bloomed and the snow was gone…it is a slow wake up but I am loving it.
Beautiful spring blooms to cheer us on this waiting-for-spring day! Seeing your forsythia blossoms reminds me I REALLY need to get out there and cut some to force!
I am hoping you were able to force some forsythia eliza!
I love all the color. I replanted the front porch garden taking out the bulbs that the deer ate and bought native plants that will bloom spring to fall. Can I remember right now? No.. I hope they make it. They were fall plantings.. Fingers crossed….
With the warm winter, I bet they will do nicely…mine are starting to pop through the soil.
Yes, the blue vase with the yellow Forsythias is perfect! Thanks for this fresh breath of spring. 🙂
You are most welcome Beth….spring has started! Time to dance….
Here’s my link: http://plantpostings.blogspot.com/2016/03/spring-started-without-me.html. Happy Spring!
Thanks Beth!
Beautiful vase 🙂 the blue looks stunning against the forsythia. Ours is nowhere near flowering – no leaves at all yet. But the daffs and irises have been flowering for over a month – it’s been weird weather in Manchester – enjoy your break and I hope your daffodils are flowering soon. Love bec xx
Wow that is a long time for your bulbs…they just started here….and I await the buds on the forsythia to fatten and flower soon…..the daffs are budding and I bet some will open this week.
Beautiful shots. Not much blooming here yet but I have seen a few narcissus.
I hope more is blooming now Carver!
Love seeing that forsythia Donna! I think I lost mine – the past two winters really challenged it. We’ll see in just – hard to believe – a few more weeks. I like to be “home” for Spring! You feature such beautiful blooms here – I can’t wait!
Spring is early here so I bet it will be blooming by the time you return! Have a safe trip….
Absolutely nothing beats that spring green, I love it too. And sunlight through bulb flowers. *happy sigh*
I couldn’t agree more…hope your garden is singing Janet!
Your uplifting words and images cause me to salivate for spring!! 🙂 So wonderful…thank you, for sharing, Donna!
My pleasure Hannah!
Your Forthysia with their bright yellow flowers are wonderful Donna and your photos of colorful blooms have me longing for spring.
Spring has come to my garden Lee so I am assuming it has graced yours too!
Things are really awakening now, and spring colors make my spirit sing with joy! I love your cheerful yellow forsythia in the blue vase. Such a wonderful color combination!
Thanks Deb….the garden is waking and blooming here too!
Such gorgeous and beautiful images, they make the wait for spring that much harder.
They must have worked their magic here Charlie as upon my return to the garden, spring was blooming! I hope it has come to you too!!
You’ve beautifully covered the floral color wheel with those stunning photos. It looks like spring is off to a fabulous start–may the rest of your growing season provide as much beauty.
Indeed it has sprung early here Tina! Now I hope to get my veg garden started soon.
Donna, hope its not to late to link in. I’ve just posted my Spring Celebrations.
Perfect timing my friend…thanks for joining in!!
Donna, I just put up my post in celebration of maple sugar season in Maine. Here is the link: http://jeansgarden.wordpress.com/2016/03/13/maple-sugar-season-tree-following-march-2016/
Thanks Jean…a perfect spring celebration!
Wow! Look at all of those lovely spring blooms! I am excited for the new gardening season to be hear, but hope the fruit trees do not bloom too early, and then lose their fruit to a freeze.
I always worry when we have an early spring Sue for that very reason…fruit trees are so vulnerable. It seems my garden is being cautious even though some flowers are blooming.