What Spring?

According to the calendar there are four clearly defined seasons and the calendar photos show scenes depicting each. If asked, each one of us can recite the distinct feel of each season just as we know the individual behaviors of each of our good friends. But, there is a change taking place that is squeezing Spring onto an ever smaller piece of real estate on our calendars.

It seems that just one week ago our trees here at the five thousand foot altitude of north central Utah were bare and now every tree is in full leaf, and as for those flowering trees, their blooms popped open overnight and are beginning to fall off already. The high temperature is predicted to be in the 80s for the next week after being in the high 60s just a couple of days ago.

Spring used to last far longer than it has the past year or two. For beach goers I suppose the quick onset of summer weather is great news but for those of us who garden, spring has always given us plenty of opportunity to give transplants a chance to adapt to being outside. Moving plants from the protection of our cellars, coldframes and greenhouses right into 80 degree weather is not easy, nor advisable. But what choice do we have without the gentle transition we once looked forward to?

My Forsythia barely had time to show off their golden yellow dress that used to last several weeks, and has become a great ‘alarm clock’ for when to start so many other garden chores, when suddenly the fruit trees and dogwoods had already bloomed and their blossoms are falling to the ground.

My bulbs barely had shown their various colors when the blossoms are shriveling up and will need to be soon pulled and divided. It seems to get earlier every year.

I love summer, but giving up most of Spring is not something I would have chosen.

Soon only one photo of spring will adorn our calendars and maybe two for fall.

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Signs of Spring

With the temperatures reaching the 50’s, okay only twice, but I’m optimistic it will be a regular thing soon, I found signs that the garden is awakening.

One tiny sprout from a daylily Stella De Oro has awakened and is poking through the mulch.

Veronica Sunny Border Blue is beginning to take off.

Crocus have been blooming for a couple of weeks.

One lonely Early Stardrift.

The Woodstock Hyacinth are beginning to fade after blooming for about two weeks now.

Lilac Fragrant Purple, Syringa vulgaris, an old-fashioned common lilac, purchased from Stark Bros in spring 2005, are increasing in size each spring and this year are showing more buds. I have three surviving plants out of a package of ten (the only way are sold) and they are growing at different rates. The one planted in a raised bed is fairly scrawny compared to the other two, perhaps the soil is too rich for it. The other two are planted a little too close together so will need to be transplanted soon, probably next spring. My plan is to replace a few other lilacs that were growing here when we moved in and were not very well kept. But since I began pruning them out the last two years they are starting to show improvement. I don’t know what the cultivar is but I might keep those and give these to my daughter.

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