By the end of January we are wondering, “How long until spring?” We watch for signs and patterns, like when the daffodils emerge and whether a groundhog sees its shadow on Imbolc morning. While meteorologists want to declare spring on March 1, the official beginning of spring is the Spring Equinox on March 20, still two weeks away.
We are at the end of a long and unusually cold winter. There was a potential for snow only a week ago and yesterday temperatures rose to around 80°F in our yard. We are riding a springtime weather roller coaster. It is hard to know whether cold weather will blast us again this year, or whether we can settle in and enjoy the change of season, no matter how sudden it feels.
Friday morning, we found a little Eastern box turtle sitting in the middle of a path in our backyard. I tiptoed around it to take some photos, but it never moved. An hour later, it still sat statue-like in the exact same spot. I can only guess that perhaps it woke from hibernation on Thursday afternoon, ventured out in search of something to eat, and cooler temperatures that night sent it back to sleep. It had a fallen leaf pulled up over its head like a blanket, and one foot stuck out as though it had stopped quite suddenly in mid-step. This is the first turtle we have noticed in the yard since last September.
Sadly, it never moved as we checked it throughout the day. At one point my partner moved it to a sunnier spot, thinking it just needed to warm up some more. But we finally realized it had passed, right there in the path, and we are left wondering why. We recognized this one as a frequent visitor to our front patio over the past two summers. It loved the puddles after a heavy rain and found interesting things to eat among our potted plants. We are sorry to lose this beautiful little visitor to our garden.
We are caught here between seasons, feeling spring, and yet still seeing the remains of winter lying about in our gardens. It has been too wet and cold for me to attempt much spring clean-up until earlier this week. This is the time to gather up fallen leaves and sticks, cut away any remains from last year’s plants, and generally tidy things up in anticipation of spring flowers. Some of us will soon be spreading fresh mulch and beginning to refresh container plantings.
It is satisfying work. I noticed how much some of our moss plantings have expanded this winter as I blew winter’s leaves away. I’m cutting spent fern fronds, making room for new growth, and generally setting things right again after our icy and windy winter. It is always good to clear away the old to make space for what is new, vibrant, and full of life.
I believe the flowers may be a bit confused about the season, too, as we find snowdrops, daffodils, Crocus, hellebores, and little Iris all in bloom on the same day. Warmer weather is finally waking up the garden. Maybe you’ve noticed buds swelling on the trees and plants poking up in your yard, too.
If you are interested in how weather and climate impact the growth of plants and the activities of animals, you may be interested in learning more about Phenology, which is the study of these interactions. There is a citizen science project known as “Nature’s Notebook” where you can join thousands of others in recording what you observe in your own backyard to better inform climate scientists, and others, of the larger patterns of world-wide climate patterns each year. Find links to more information about this project at the National Phenology Network: https://www.usanpn.org/about/phenology
Every season is unique in how it comes, how it progresses, and how it fades away into the next. We have transitioned quite suddenly from a long stretch of below normal temperatures, both day and night, to a stretch of unusually warm days. I find my own energy to get out and do things returning, along with renewed enthusiasm for spending time outside tending the garden. There is a rebirth of hope for a better today as well as a better tomorrow. And the changes we are observing are mostly in the direction of growth and the full expression of beauty contained in each branch and bulb.
Finally, I want to thank Yvette Prior for her beautiful review of my new book, How to Grow a Greener Thumb. It is a very generous and kind review, but I especially appreciate the beautiful graphics that Yvette created for her post. She has a creative and inspiring twist on how to present a beautiful word wall to summarize the main ideas she took away from her reading. Thank you, Yvette!
With appreciation to Jim Stephens of Garden Ruminations,
who hosts Six on Saturday each week.
Our Forest Garden 
Yes, it’s true that the scent of the edgeworthia is truly captivating, and when you walk near it, you can’t help but look at the plant. You were wondering where spring had arrived, but seeing a box turtle after winter gives you a serious clue. 😉
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Bonjour, Fred, thank you for your note ❤
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Congratulations on your new book! Phenology is fascinating, isn’t it? We’re just a bit behind you here in the Upper Midwest, but spring is beginning. We’re experiencing the same roller-coaster ride of weather variability, but more snow and cold are on the way in the middle of March…after highs in the 60s this weekend. Crazy. Anyway, I’m sorry about the turtle. It would be interesting to hear its story.
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Thank you, Beth, and I hope you see the end of snow and ice sooner rather than later. We’ve been watching the storm systems roll across the Upper Midwest on the Weather Channel and feeling compassion that you are still fighting these storms. A vet friend wonders whether perhaps an owl or vulture picked up the little turtle and then dropped it, killing it with the shock of falling from altitude. No injuries are visible on it, but we just are left wondering what happened, other than it waking from hibernation too early. Thank you for all good wishes, and for leaving a note today. I hope spring is in your garden soon as well ❤ ❤ ❤
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We are fortunate here in Wisconsin that the storms weren’t as bad as forecasted; seems the track of the worst damage was east of us. Unfortunately, tornado season runs through June here, but hopefully it won’t be too bad this year. Thanks for sharing the turtle’s story. Poor buddy.
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I lost my edgeworthia some years ago. We don’t have collectors’ nurseries round here and I have not remembered to mail order one (plus you can’t tell the quality when you mail order). I think I must order one, though, and hope for the best. What a wonderful plant.
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Yes, it is a very unusual plant. A friend recommended it to me because deer leave it alone and it was love at first sight once its flower buds emerged that first fall. It is such an elegant shrub, in addition to its sweet fragrance. I’m not sure whether cold weather or saturated soil, or maybe a combination, destroyed much of our shrub in a single winter. Plant Delights in Raleigh, NC carries this shrub but in a tiny pot for a gallon sized price. I haven’t found it for sale again locally, either, but would love to buy another one or two of them.
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How sad about the turtle!
Yep, we’ve had a loooong wet and windy winter. Warmer at night than usual so no cold to kell the bugs and other nasties.
Like you ~I will be counting the days until Spring and hopefully we can close the winter chapter
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Thank you! I hope that spring finds you soon and that it is an especially beautiful one this year ❤ ❤ ❤
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I really like the photo of Edgeworthia chrysantha. I struggle to get it right with my iPhone camera.
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Yes, it is a very tricky flower to catch with the proper focus. Out of 4 photos that was the only one I could edit clearly enough to use. But it is a lovely one, isn’t it?
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GREAT SIX! We’ve had a fairly mild winter with up and down temps as well. Winter isn’t over yet and we can still get snow after spring begins…
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Thank you! Yes, we can still get snow here for the next few weeks, too. We have had snow as late as mid-April, but it doesn’t last very long. We are just enjoying feeling warm again and seeing things begin to bloom at last. Happy Spring!
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Yes, how sad about the turtle.
You certain fit a lot into Six!
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Hello – sorry about the turtle and this was such a flowing post – also, I am glad you saw my review of your book! It is such a great resource and I plan to recommend it in the future. Happy spring and happy gardening 🙂
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Thank you so much, Yvette. You are the first to review my new book and I appreciate you so very much. Thank you too, for the encouragement, that the book is a good resource for other gardeners. ❤
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❤
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oh, poor little turtle. Not long until actual spring for you then….for me, I’m a bit sad because I now have winter ahead of me…it feels wintery today with a top of only 16degC, although I don’t think it even reached anywhere near that, and Autumn hasn’t even truly begun yet.
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Cath, it was cool early here, too, last autumn and remained cooler than average for most of the past 6 months. I hope you have a milder autumn and winter than the northern hemisphere has had. We were in the upper 80sF here yesterday and will drop down to near freezing tonight. What odd weather these past several months! We are still very sad for the turtle, too, and have left his shell amongst flowers where we will see it and remember him or her. ❤ ❤ ❤
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aww….that’s lovely
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