That Rose of Sharon had done so well last summer, did it make it through the freeze? As recently as this past weekend, I would have said "no" -- there were no apparent signs of life, in spite of all the other buds I was able to blog about last week.
But as I approached the Flame acanthus, I was thrilled to see some tiny specks of green down at ground level. I had hope it might be root hardy, and it seems it was. But, more than that, closer inspection revealed little buds of green all over it. I don't have to cut it back to the ground after all!
And the Rose of Sharon, apparently dead sticks last weekend, is now covered in leaf buds from top to bottom!
I didn't get any photos yesterday evening, but I'll be sure and take some photos to document their progress.
In celebration of the new life in my garden, I thought I'd share some favorite gardening quotes about spring.
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No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. -- Proverb
It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. -- Charles Dickens
I love spring everywhere, but if I could choose, I would always greet it in a garden. -- Ruth Stout
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. -- Anne Bradstreet
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
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
The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. -- Henry Van Dyke
In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours. -- Mark Twain
The naked earth is warm with Spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun's kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
-- Julian Grenfell
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun's kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
-- Julian Grenfell
Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. -- Geoffrey B. Charlesworth
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I hope you enjoyed these quotes. Do you have a favorite quote about spring? Add it here in the comments, so we can all share it.
8 comments:
Excellent quotes and GREAT news about your fresh buds!! I understand...I had a firebush that was newly planted only weeks before Florida's "winter" hit. I thought the little thing was toast after seeing the dead wood. But I waited it out as my native friends encouraged me to do and leaflets cover the bush already!! Woo Hoo!!! Yay for spring!
I'm glad that your treasured plants made it through the winter! Great quotes!
Thanks Kimberly and Kyna. I can't tell you what a relief it was to see that those plants had made it through the freeze. I was really worried about them.
Hi Jane, So glad to hear about your green buds that have formed on your acanthus and that the 'dead sticks' of the Rose of Sharon also have buds. Some things do surprise us with their ability to survive adverse conditions. It's so exciting to see that first spring growth. And I enjoyed all the quotes you added. So fun, and so true! I like the one about the 'soul' being in bloom...great food for thought! Hope your weather continues to be 'springier' by the moment!
Dear Jayne, I was most interested to read, and very much enjoyed, your chosen quotations for spring and the way in which you had selected widely.
I too am delighted that your treasured plants appear to have made it through the winter. I was a little concerned about the Rose of Sharon as, once established, it recognises no boundaries whatsoever. Grows in concrete in my experience!!!
That's great news ... so glad to hear it's still alive and about to thrive once more. Loved your selection of quotes ... springtime downunder is not that special a season, especially not here in the north - it's the signal that the harsh summer will soon be upon us! A different perspective to yours.
Haha Bernie, our perspectives are not as different as you might think. I live just north of Houston, Texas, and our summers can be quite brutal, with temperatures in the 90's and humidity to match. Spring and fall are my favorite seasons, partly because it's more comfortable gardening then. We had a harder winter this year than we have in a long time and I think that's (almost) made us forgot how awful the summers can be! Ask me again in August why I like gardening!
You're right Edith -- where I used to live it seems I was forever pulling rose of sharon seedlings out from between the paving stones on the patio. But it has special meaning for me and I'm glad that it's coming back to life again, to grace our new home with its beauty.
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