13 March 2010

Breaking News! Galanthus spotted in Scotts Bay snowyard!


Okay, I know I should build up to the big announcement, but since I'm bouncing gleefully like Tigger (at least, inside I am), I have to announce it to the world...we haz snowdrops! About 2 1/2 weeks earlier than last year, and before spring actually gets here. I am beaming like a proud parent, but of course, I didn't do anything. The plants do all the work. I just reap the joyous benefits.


Okay, let's back up a little bit, now that I've gotten that off my chest. Today was the 7th day of sunny skies in a row, and it was above freezing, not windy, and just...nice. I watched it most of the day from inside, where I was dealing with some projects, including the book one.

Late this afternoon, I went outside to walk around and stretch my legs a little, and to just have a bit of a look at the latewinter mess that is our yard. I hadn't looked too closely at the garden since going out a few days ago to cut twigs from shrubs for forcing indoors. Since there is still a LOT of snow in some parts of the yard, I figured it would just annoy me, especially since many of my blogging buds are celebrating snowdrops, and crocus, and daffodils and hellebores, and pulmonaria and ...snif...no, really, I'm just fine.
You have to click on these and expand them to get a sense of how much snow remains around our property. The first yard photo is the south side, my view from my office window. There are shrubs totally buried in some of that snowdrift, and I shudder to think how broken they'll be when they emerge. I lost a viburnum last year in this part of the yard, and while some plants weather such snow onslaughts well, I think this year it's time to put in a row of sturdy evergreens to catch and hold the snow from advancing further in future winters. Oh, yes, great plans I have. The spirit is willing, but the muscles are weak. Happily, Longsuffering Spouse is strong, and usually willing.

The above photo is part of the back yard, with the expanse of Scotts Bay and the Cape Split peninsula in the background. Our picnic table has been buried in snow for about six weeks, and is only just emerging in the past few days. But as you can see, the snow is dramatically melting, and is totally gone in some spots.

I walked around to the front yard and went to check on the bed where my echinaceas and a fwe other special plants live, and then I spied it. Shy, casual, not at all flamboyant, but gleaming like little oval pearls against the decomposing leaves and potential weeds around it. The first snowdrop. Well, the first two snowdrops. Happy dance ensued. Then I thought about the lower garden, where the flotillas of snowdrops show up eventually.

There's still a lot of snow in that lower garden, and I wasn't sure whether I'd find what I was looking for, but there they were. I was so excited that I neglected to take photos of the entire bed. I just put my small camera (my Canon Powershot SX200) on super macro, set it on the ground, and took a bunch of shots, hoping to get something usable. The bed was in total shade by this point but you get the point. The snowdrop celebration has begun.

I'm not ready to declare spring here, though. I know FARCH in Nova Scotia all too well, and she is a perfidious season. We routinely get clobbered with snowstorms throughout March, or ice storms, or rainstorms...but I do feel like we may have broken the back of winter. I'm just waiting for Longsuffering Spouse to come racing inside sometime in the next few days and tell me the Redwinged Blackbirds are back. That's one of my main harbingers of spring, along with my horse beginning to shed his winter coat. And yes, the return of the gallant Galanthus.

Because I'm so gleeful about the snowdrops--hey, I'm actually able to celebrate at the same time as many of my blogging companions around the continent and in northern Europe, instead of trailing along behind like the youngest sibling in a big family--we're going to wait until late Saturday to do the Saturday Spotlight post. I hope to spend at least part of Saturday out in the yard, cleaning up stuff. And grinning at Galanthus.

I hope everyone has something in their yards that make them as giddily joyful as my snowdrops do me. And that spring stretches her warming arms out to all of you this weekend.

34 comments:

  1. Yay! Dancing with you Jodi! I know what it's like to feel like you're trailing behind everyone else. Enjoy those little white pearls. They mean other blooms are close behind!!
    Have a great weekend!

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  2. Hi Jodi~~ So well written. Your enthusiasm is contagious and your "little oval pearls" are like little beacons of hope. Yay!

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  3. Love your header photo! Anyway ... so glad to hear you've spotted signs of that long-awaited spring! I do hope all that snow clears for you very, very soon!
    Hope you've stopped bouncing around on that Tigger tail!!!

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  4. Yay for snowdrops. It just goes to show that spring shall overcome.

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  5. Congratulations on your cheerful news :)

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  6. Dear Jodi, I am so thrilled for you and can readily share your excitement. Who cares about those large public gardens and estates where they have snowdrops by the thousand in comparison with discovering one's very own? It must be wonderful, after weeks and weeks of snow, to see the garden emerging once more. Let us hope that you do not have too many more set backs with the weather.

    But for today, rejoice!

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  7. Jodi,
    Isn't it wonderful to be enjoying these early signs of spring! The melting snow revealed buds on my Hellebores, and the tulips and daffodils won't be far behind. I enjoyed your analogy of those of us who garden up north, trailing behind like the youngest sibling. Tis the season of zone envy. I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend, Jodi, as well as more sunshine.

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  8. Hey Jodi,
    Seeing those snowdrops each year pushing their way through so many inches of the actual stuff causes this Florida Girl amazement over and over. I can thoroughly understand your glee... just keep grinning... it's not only good for the soul~~ celebration is in order for sure.
    Happy day,
    Meems

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  9. I can feel your excitement jumping off the screen Jodi! What a deightful surprise. I hope that winter will indeed continue to loosen it's tight grip on your garden (such deep snow!) and spring is on it's way!

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  10. Oh Jodi, Your joy is contagious! Thank you!! I too found a few snowdrops in a southern location! What brave little flowers they are ... truly harbingers of spring and new life to follow soon. Your view of Scotts Bay is so beautiful!! You look so close. Have heart about your shrubs under the snow... I had so many literally flattened and buried in the heavy snow but they have mostly all stood up straight again. I hope you are equally as lucky to have supple shrubberies. Your photos of the snowdrops are poetic and refreshing! Enjoy the day!! May your muscles strengthen from your efforts in the garden. Carol

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  11. Hey girl ! Congrats to the "Spring Mama" ! .. we have rain today which is fine with me .. I got the leaf litter off of all the beds so now mom nature can warm the soil with rain all she wants .. for a couple of days .. then I want SUN again !!
    My Orientalis hellebore has flower buds, campanula are amazing as are the heuchera .. boggles the mind what gorgeous surprises I found under the protection of the leaves : ) Yahhhhhhhoooooooo !!
    We are all dancing the Spring jig ? LOL
    Joy : )

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  12. It's always very exciting to see those first flowers! I'm not sure I could handle living with that much snow. It won't be too long though before you have other things to share too.

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  13. I'd be proud too .. is spring really here?

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  14. Hi Tigger....er, ah Jodi! I adore snowdrops and am amazed that they're popping up so early so far north. Lovely! No wonder you're hopping with glee! Thanks for your kind comments on my blog this morning. To answer your question, yes, the Canada Geese are here year round although quite a few migrate to winter here. Red winged blackbirds are also here year round. The blessings of living in the South, I reckon! Have a great weekend.

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  15. Wonderful!! Another happy dance, a sure sign of spring. :)

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  16. What wonderful pics. I especially like the garden cam shot of the snowdrops from ground level. The excitment is contagious. It's raining here. I'm getting a poncho on because I have to weed something.
    jim

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  17. Congratulations! I'm jealous. I'm sure I live in the only snowdrop-devoid garden on earth . Oh well, maybe next year I can remedy that!

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  18. Woo hoo for the snowdrops! It's nice to see how your snow is receding. Mine is (was) doing the same thing but they're forecasting another foot of the fluffy stuff today. I'm closing the blinds and am in complete denial. Lovely photos, as always.

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  19. Hi Jodi. I amazed at how much more snow you have to get melted away yet. We have just a few mounds in the shady hollows yet.
    Snow drops always look so delicate to me with their drooping little heads but surprise you when they are one of the first ones to bloom.Tough and pretty.
    Have a great weekend.
    Lona

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  20. Good almost spring morning Jodi,

    I loved this post! Snowdrops are such intrepid little souls.

    All joys,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  21. Ah, Jodi - I'm so happy for you...and a bit envious. This year spring is very late in Sweden. Enjoy and rejoice in your snowdrops!

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  22. Dancing in frou frou pink petticoats of March lilies here. Diana

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  23. I felt the same way when I saw m own snowdrops make an appearance about a week or so ago. It was, indeed, very exciting to see a sign of spring after the (always) long winter.

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  24. I love your photos, nice to see a friend's garden.What different climates we live in being in two separate parts of the country!
    My Galanthus showed up at end of January just about when our horse started shedding. Mine are no longer in bloom.Like you I watch for their appearnace as a sign of spring after our gray days and rain on the west coast.

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  25. Jodi, we gardeners are so easily pleased. A small shoot here, a bud there, and the sighting of the first Robin bring us great joy(and a Tigger dance!.

    At this time of the year, I have great plans for the garden, but like you my imagination is stronger than my back. I ususally have to curtail my dream projects quite a bit.

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  26. What a remarkable thing that spring is...happy dance indeed!

    My goal this weekend is my vegetable garden. Unlike you, I have a few months in the early spring to early summer in which I can grow 'crops' that aren't bitter, infected with blights, or gnawed on my pests. While I know that your winters are long - boy, your summers are simply glorious. Hang in there...soon the snow will melt.

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  27. Now I see why my cousins wait till April to leave Europe and return to Nova Scotia! Glad you got some buds at last!

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  28. Yippee, jodi ... I'm rejoicing with you!

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  29. Yay! It looks like my snow cover is about the same as yours, although unlike yours my gardens are still all underneath it :(

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  30. I get so excited here when our snowdrops emerge in far less harsh conditions than yours - I can imagine how excited you must be Jodi :)

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  31. How exciting, Jodi! I'm so happy for you, and those photos are so adorable. I fell in love with snowdrops for the first time this year (why now? I don't know), and I can see why they'd be doubly precious to northern gardeners. Good for you for being wary of Farch (LOL)! I'm too incautious in embracing spring. :)

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  32. Wonderful news Jodi! I love your little snowdrops!

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  33. Jodi, what wonderful photos! Yes, you still have a lot of snow in your yard, BUT...spring is sprung for you! No littlest sibling toddling behind for you this year!!! :) The closeup of the little buds is the best!!

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  34. Glad you're getting an early taste of spring too. Hard to believe it's been so nice here for so long. I keep waiting for the weather to turn nasty again. As much as I want to get out and clean up the flower beds I just know we're due more bone chilling cold.

    I keep forgetting to plant snowdrops so I'm waiting for the Winter Aconite. The snow has just begun to melt in the sheltered spot they're in.

    Looking at receding snowlines is so much nicer than watching my hairline :)

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