take heart, it’s february

galanthus

I have far too few of these to make much of an impact, but as a harbinger of things to come, it lifts my spirits.

Hamamelis intermedia ‘Diane’

I am not exactly bowled over by Hamamelis intermedia ‘Diane’. I think I might have walked right by her a few times before noticing that she had burst into bloom. Up close, the color is nice, but I detect no scent…guess that comes more with the yellow, which I am not all that crazy about.

more ‘Diane’

Backing up a bit, you can see how I could have missed the show entirely.

yet more ‘Diane’

I am still backing up, and now we can see that the blooms are all on the older wood. The newer branches rising in the middle are bare. I think by next year, when those branches produce flowers, the effect will be dazzling. Isn’t that always what we tell ourselves? There is always next year.

Gosh! I sound like I am complaining. Shame on me. Today was sunny and clear. I wandered around the garden after my walk, and signs of life are everywhere. Buds are swelling. Daffodils are pushing up through the mulch, as are several of the earliest alliums and tulips. We made it through another winter and the show is about to go on. Whoopeee!

8 thoughts on “take heart, it’s february

  1. I was outside today and thinking, gosh for January this is such amazing weather. Then it dawned on me. It’s FEBRUARY! Yay!!! We made it. January is officially behind us. Spring is getting closer every day as are longer days. I couldn’t be happier.

    ‘Diane’ is pretty up close but you’re right in that she fades quickly as you step back. Oh well. Next year! I’ve got snowdrops blooming too. It seems too early but, hot damn, it’s FEBRUARY. Okay, I’ll calm down now.

  2. Happy February! I think h. ‘Diane’ is quite lovely. Yours might be the same hamamelis as they have at a new Kaiser building near me: the flowers have just a faint scent and I guessed it might just be too cold, but maybe that’s typical. Is h. ‘Jelena’ smellier?

    All I have for scent is the sarcoccoca confusa, and it’s a bit pungent to really be described as sweet!

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  4. Jane~Too cold…that makes sense. I hope we get a warmer day so I can test your theory. Besides, I just hope we get a warmer day! I’m not crazy about being bowled over by scent either, unless it is the lilies doing the bowling.

  5. When I see the word ‘harbinger’ I automatically think of ‘harvey headbanger’. Maybe I am in need of one?

    I’m complaining for England at the minute. Enough for all of us.

    The snowdrops are around here as as miserable as me. Puny and unwilling to leave the womb of clay around them.

    Your moss looks nice and green, and never needs mowing 🙂
    330 crabby days left for this year.

  6. Jo~Better yet, a Harvey Wallbanger (shot of whiskey with beer chaser).

    I would be happy for the moss to take over completely. Of course it gets pretty brown and dried up by August.

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