Good morning, dear friends.   This time of year, when I am dreaming of all the beauty about to unfold, I find myself so anxious to see my old friends.  Beauties I dearly love and many have been with me since we had our first home.  So, won’t you step into the garden, they are anxious to meet you.

“Then my heart with pleasure fills And dances with the daffodils.” ~ Willaim Wordsworth

Would it be spring without daffodils?  Certainly not.  I love all daffodils, but I will admit being partial to a few.

Fortissimo, shouts spring.  In musical terms, a fortissimo marking indicates ‘very loud.’  And, the daffodil, Fortissimo (appropriately named) is loud.

Lovely Barrett Browning ~ her bloom nods like a bashful girl.

I do love the softness and frills of British Gamble.  However, something so lovely should, in my opinion, have a more suitable name.  Perhaps, Priscilla,  Apricot Dreams, or Elegant Lady?

And here is my husband’s favorite… Tahiti.  Tahiti is a full double daffodil and a vase of them is a lovely sight.  Tahiti is also a strong and sturdy daffodil, not prone to flop.

“Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.” ~ William Wordsworth

Ah, there are so many friends who return each year to our garden.  They sing and flutter about, each with their own unique beauty.  My heart truly loves them.

“A birdsong can even, for a moment, make the whole world into a sky within us, because we feel that the bird does not distinguish between its heart and the worlds.” ~Rainer Maria Rilke

 

“My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather.” ~ Terri Guillemets

“To be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is a delectable form of defeat.” ~ Beverley Nichols

Sweet peas are a favorite among my ‘old friends.’  I’ve never been without a stand of them.  Stop a moment, surely you can smell them. Their fragrance is soft as is their appearance.  To me, they are a ‘girly flower’, ever so romantic.  Sweet peas symbolize blissful pleasure and are lovers of the cool early spring days.  Our seeds went into the ground on February 24.  They should be in bloom in May.  In the part of Virginia where we used to live, we were zone 8a.  There, I planted them in the fall so as to bloom in mid to late March.  Summer comes early to coastal Virginia.

“You will know it is here or getting near when the lilacs bloom.” ~ unknown

The fragrance of lilac drifting through the air is a gift from above.  I suppose lilacs are especially dear to me because I lived for many years without them.  While some varieties will grow in the south, they are really northern girls.  Quite happy in harsh winters.  

“The fattest and most scrumptious of all flowers, a rare fusion of fluff and majesty ~ the peony.” ~ Henry Mitchell

Peony, Red Charm

Peonies are my dearest of old friends.  We have been friends since I was a little girl.  Many in my garden have been with me for over forty years.  Friends, I am eager to see and greet every spring.

Peony, Courage (notice the speckles on the petals)

Peony, Gardenia

“A rose is a rose, but a peony is a friend forever.” ~ unknown

 

 

“Springtime flowers bloom like colourful arrows piercing their way to the sun.” ~ Terri Guillemets 

 

Special Note:  The event section of this blog has been updated.  There are many wonderful events happening.  Check this section, one may be near you.

 

Note: Images ~ Michael S. Lambiotte,  Atlanta Homes,

Tumblr ~ Unless otherwise stated, I do not claim ownership of these photos. These photos are the work of tremendously talented people and I simply compiled them for your enjoyment