“To everything there is a season”

The expression ‘ a watched pot is slow to boil’ has been around since Benjamin Franklin first wrote the text in 1785. The quote has come to mind lately as anticipation of Springs first flush grows each day. A few buds are appearing, and the arrival of first blooms, but Spring in the garden seems paused because of the late frosts.

All gardeners need an optimistic outlook to know that their planting of seeds, bulbs and perennials will come to fruition. And there is a certainty in the knowledge that effort in the garden will be rewarded and that nature will undoubtedly bring the full flush of Spring soon.

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
Lao Tzu

I wake up each day with anticipation of Spring’s progress, knowing that it will sing in a few short weeks. We are away for short periods and often miss the complete season so this year it is a welcome chance to view the entire season. In a region of distinct seasons, the winter in a rose garden can be bleak, but the unfoldment of Spring is lovely to watch so closely. Never before have I had such a keen eye for the spectacular foliage colours of the roses. With the brilliant dark reds, maroons and the range of greens from the brightest light green to lush, glossy verdant green, this year’s foliage is magnificent and ever so healthy.

All gardeners need an optimistic outlook to know that their planting of seeds, bulbs and perennials will come to fruition. And there is a certainty in the knowledge, that effort in the garden will be rewarded, and that nature will undoubtedly bring the full flush of Spring soon.

You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.
Pablo Neruda

No matter what size or situation, the opportunity to create a garden is a solace for many people and, especially recently, an escape because it’s one of the few activities the pandemic has not taken away.
The usual therapeutic effects of being in the garden and hearing the sounds of nature around us, the birds chirping, the wind in the trees, and the stillness bring calmness. The garden can be a valuable place of comfort and a manageable sanctuary uniquely our own during challenging times.

Spring won’t let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again.
Gustav Mahler

Gardens, of course, can’t remove our fears or problems, but they can help us deal with life’s issues and make each day more peaceful. The combination of being creative and using our imagination and the sheer physical work makes gardening so satisfying.

The anticipation of Spring when you know you have given it your best shot, and done the work in preparing, is exciting in much the same way as an unveiling of an inspirational art project. The artwork is complete from the inception of an idea with all the unique twists and turns of the creative process. Similarly, one can plant and design a landscape, nurture and make the changes that were not quite right from last year, and until everything grows and blooms, you have no idea of the garden’s shape or what you have created. I’m always optimistic, though; each season since the garden began has brought unique rewards, often entirely unexpected outcomes.

Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.
Rudyard Kipling

It is pouring with rain, which is expected to continue for another few days. I long to get out and into planting the last of my annuals and finish the mulching, but like all gardeners, patience is essential. This year, with higher rainfall than usual and more work has been done to prepare, plus the garden is now in its fifth year, the season ahead promises to be sensational. I will look forward to shooting many more photographs of stunning rose blooms to share shortly.