My yard is chock full of gardens and I tend to lean towards perennials with a few annuals stuck in there for color. The $4 perennial section at the local garden store is my weakness, and I can't step in there without dropping some major cash. It's like alcohol or cigarettes for some. Me, I am addicted to plants.Hello. My name is Lin. I am addicted to perennials.
This past fall, I tempted the fates by actually purchasing a couple of bags of bulbs to stick in the ground. Never one to wait, I have never succumbed to the bags of crocus, tulips or daffodils that beckon so many gardeners. Nope. I want action from my plantings and I want them NOW. But last fall, I decided to change course a bit and headed for the bulb digger.
I mumbled and grumbled the entire time I was sinking those bad boys the required 6 inches under the earth. What a pain it was to be kneeling and dropping those wee bulbs in for their winter's nap. "Why am I doing this?" I kept asking myself.
Spring. I did it for spring.
How I longed for snowdrops and crocus to pop up when I was most discouraged and wanting for some sign of life to appear. I was tired of looking for the wee signs of life under all that brown mulch and dead leaves--I wanted color, damn it. And I wanted snowdrops--those glorious little white flowers that wave at you behind mounds of left-over snow.
So, I waited and waited.
Chuck posted lovely crocus and I got jealous. My snowdrops and crocus were nowhere to be seen. How come he has crocus? He's got the same weather we do. Sigh.
Then I got down on my knees to take some photos of Hobbes out in the mulch....and then I saw it--my crocus were coming up!!! Finally.
And I finally understood why everyone loves those damn bulbs so much. It's the fruition that matters. It's the reward that you have waited so long for. It's flowers in the spring after a long winter and all that kneeing around the yard until it hurt in the fall. It's the promise of life to come and the joy of spring.
Okay, I get it. And the crocus haven't begun to bloom yet. I'm just this excited over the darn leaves popping up.
24 comments:
I went out the other day and saw a tulip sticking up about 2 inches out of the ground. I was so excited it wasn't even funny. Spring, glorious spring is finally coming to town.
As I gazed out my bedroom window yesterday I noticed the magnolia and Pear tree in the frat boys [rented] yard are blooming. It's going to be spring tomorrow and the signs are showing. YIPPEE!
How exciting for you Lin! Oh the joy you must be feeling!!!
Sadly... there is still way too much snow in my backyard and garden to see anything sprouting... what I wouldn't give to even see a weed!!! Honestly!!!
Happy Saturday!
xo Catherine
OH Hurray, you have perennials :) and 'Hi Lin, I'm addicted to flowers as well' I tell my husband you can never have enough flowers and he just looks at me and shakes his head which I guess is a positive response...he has his addictions (running and shoes) and I have mine; flowers and well, let's not even go into that one...
Excited? Well, I should think so!
Yeah! we have a big rabbit issue here!
Everyone in unison: "Hi lin."
My crocus have a distinct advantage. They grow near the basement wall. Sun's warmth reflects from the wall and the basement is heated (on the inside). It provides a jump start. The flowers growing away from the house are at about the same stage as yours. Never fear Spring will arrive on time.
As Gandalf told Frodo (Fellowship of the Ring), "A wizard never arrives late. He always arrives exactly when he meant to."
I have a real weakness for hyacinths...
"If you have two loaves of bread
Sell one and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed your soul"
Humph! One year in NJ I bought two hundred tulip bulbs.
TWO HUNDRED!!!!
I planted them in all of the beds around the Victorian.I also put in some iris against the house behind the tulips and I waited much like you
I waited.
And waited.
The iris came up but NOT ONE TULIP.
The %$**&##@ chipmunks ate all the tulips.
NEVER again did I waste my time and money.
Now I have the goats so I don't plant anything I don't expect them to eat.
Lin, that is exactly how I feel. When we moved here, I didn't realize that the previous tenant had planted bulbs everywhere. I'm loving the daffodils and crocus springing up from nowhere. I'm also wanting to plant my favorite of all time....freesias. I can't wait to see pictures of yours when they bloom.
I noticed our crocus came up yesterday!
Our crocus bloomed in January but our daffodils are thisclose to blooming and I so can't wait to see them!
Welcome to bulb-hood:) What am I saying? Who am I to welcome you- me who has a patch of concrete out back for a yard. Ek.
Well, I found the blog, and I wrote the book club thingie on my calendar. Here's to hoping I can push through my current read (The Poisonwood Bible- rereading it because it's AMAZING) and hoping that the library has it. Ok, so nobody in Baltimore reads anyway, it's got to be on the shelves, right?
Thanks for the invite, how exciting:) P.s.- have you started it? It sounds good from the description, do you like it so far?
How lovely! They've got tulips at work, and I've really been enjoying them. I know you'll just love your crocus as they begin to bloom.
When I lived in snow country I planted crocus in a sunny spot by the driveway. I can't tell you what those crocus meant to that transplanted Californian. They even came up in the snow.
Ann--Isn't it great??! We were pulling into the driveway the other day and I let out a scream. I apparently scared the family with my sighting of the blooming snowdrops! :)
Jodi--Hooray! Do you think the frat boys notice?
Catherine--I planted snowdrops too, Catherine, because I hear they bloom in the snow. I wasn't taking any chances. Maybe you should get those too.
Tracy--I'm not asking! ;) You can always tell him that you are increasing the value of your property with YOUR purchase.
Vanilla--It's nice to see color again, pally. :)
Diana--oh no!!
Chuck--Whew! I thought it was just me doing something wrong with my bulbs. I noticed the snowdrops have bloomed!! Hooray!
Grace--Oh, I like that. :) Do you have some bulbs for inside the house?? That would be nice to have some color inside at least.
Pricilla--OH NO! I would NOT be happy with those chipmunks! I actually thought that the squirrels dug them up, but today there are more green sprouts. Lucky squirrels.
Chocolate--Mine are thin right now, but I'll bet they will be great when they spread. I'm going out to get photos soon. :) What joy those flowers must bring you!!!
Karen--Hooray! Aren't they lovely?
Beaded Tail--WOW! Yours bloomed early! My snowdrops opened and I got soooo excited. I think I screamed and scared the family. :)
Nancy--Oh, I hope you join us! I have to get the book yet, but my mom loved the book and has it for me, I think. I think it will be fun to try this book club thingy. :)
Faith--Hi, new pally!! I'm sooo glad you have a good sense of humor after my ridiculous comment on your blog! Ugh. I could have died when I read it--I'm such an idiot! I'm just glad we met and can't wait for the book club. :)Oh--and I like your blog too.
Marilynne--They are like little beacons of spring, I tell you. Isn't it funny how little things like that really brighten our lives?
Yeah for the crocus! I don't have much luck with bulbs here, I think the Florida bugs eat them. We have been busy trying to raise 3 orphaned wild rabbits (dog disater!) They opened their eyes today, so fingers crossed they will make it!
I have some crocus budding. They just appeared... overnight!
Lin- I think the Frat Boys didn't notice they had leaves to rake in the fall (and still), so why the hell would they notice beautiful blooms on a magnolia and Pear tree. The answer is NO! lol
DJ---Awwww. You'd better post photos, pally!! I wanna see those babies! I think if you got them to opening their eyes, you may be in the clear. I hope so. :) I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Sharky--Hooray! We had rain last night--I'm going out to check if mine bloomed.
Jodi--I'm betting one or two of them noticed how pretty it is but is too cool to say anything. :)
Then Lin why the hell can't the frat boys notice they have leaves still to rake? Please give me some wise Duck and Wheel answer to that question!
Jodi--Because they are BOYS. Nobody wants to be the fool that does all the work. If one started, the rest would just laugh at him and walk away to play X-Box and then he would just get mad that nobody is helping. It's just not worth the battle---or the effort. AND it is not their house, so who cares? Boys can walk all around stuff that needs to be done, believe me.
I am a perennial and bulb addict too! :) (blogger is being funny about commenting this morning, this may be my 2nd comment)
Jennifer--I'm still on the fence with the bulbs. I'll need them to step it up a bit before I'm hooked.
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