Hi Friends!
The garden always teaches me important life lessons…
and this Spring it has cultivated
a valuable
mindfulness practice,
with help from Mother Nature.
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
Springtime, in the Midwest, seemed to
tiptoe
into my garden
this year
with its usual early bloomers.
The dwarf Irises started the garden party,
followed by Crocuses days later.
The first blossoms always take my breath away!
They were the perfect reminders to look for
tiny blessings
tucked into the corners of each day.
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
The petite Siberian Squill
flourished in spite of
our wild, weather roller coaster ride!
They taught me to stay
strong
during the challenging times.
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
The sunny, yellow Daffodils bounced back
after being flattened by two
wet, heavy snowfalls
in April.
Their strength is
an important reminder
to us all.
We can bounce back after multiple setbacks.
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
The Irises, Bleeding Hearts,
Tulips, and Hostas
endured
the heavy, icy snowfall.
They remind us to look toward
the sunshine
when we need it most!
♥
Our Winter weather began with an extremely challenging
blizzard in November and surprised us
twice with snowstorms in April.
I can’t remember ever watching my garden
bloom in the snow
until last weekend!
This snowstorm
brought our snowfall total to
49.5 inches (126 cm).
Our average Winter snowfall is
36 inches (91cm).
Magnolia petals were tossed about
like confetti
during the latest Spring snowstorm.
Most of the petals held fast to the branches,
reminding us to ‘hold tight’
and weather the storms
together!
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
The trees and perennials soaked up
an abundance of precipitation
for this year’s growing season.
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
The Spring snow melted.
Finally, heavy rains
brought the month of April
to a very soggy end.
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
I began to document
Spring 2019
in my Garden Journal.
Alas, there were only a few hours
of raking and gardenkeeping
during April.
My busiest day in the garden
so far this year
was April 23rd:
♥ mowed the lawn for the first time this year
♥ hung birdhouse in the Magnolia (in full bloom!)
♥ placed a pair of colorful Wellies and
a vintage watering can filled with Forsythia cuttings
beside the front door
♥ planted a large grapevine basket
with colorful Muscari and Daffodils
for the front porch
(and added a tiny bird’s nest
found in the garden last Autumn)
♥ planted Violas in a pretty, sage-colored pot
to bring a bit of Springtime to the
front porch
♥
Ever-so-slowly…
I’m learning the importance of being more flexible…
and just taking things moment-by-moment.
Nature can’t be rushed.
My garden is cultivating a
deep sense of
patience
in my soul.
♥♥♥
I’m so very grateful
for all of the life lessons
my garden
teaches me each and every year .
Springtime anticipation
feels extra-sweet
this year!
♥♥♥
It’s marvelous, magical May!
Take time to enjoy the blossoms each day!
Sending sunshine!
♡ Dawn
P.S. Have you been busy in your garden?
What’s blooming in your neighborhood?
Petals. Paper. Simple Thymes 
Hi Dawn,
I’ve been very busy in my garden and in the new client’s gardens as well. Spring has been slowly showing itself in Southern California, this has been the coolest spring I can remember.
Loved your post.
Karen
Oh, Karen! I was so happy to hear that you are busy with garden designing again. 😊 Your new clients are most fortunate, Karen. I sure wish you lived closer!! The weather is so unsettled everywhere. Wishing you happy days in all of your gardens, my friend! 💗
😊❤️😊
Hugs from my gardening heart to yours, Carol! Your garden must be glorious at the moment. I’m really missing seeing both you and your garden! We’ll catch up later this month.💗
It’s hard to see the trees bloom and the weather take the blooms away in an instant. You have a really beautiful array of flowers in spite of the snow. I remember having a good snow on Memorial day one year. You just never know. 😉
So true, Marlene! I’m really amazed that there are still some Magnolia blossoms clinging to the tree. Each Spring blossom seems like a little gift! I don’t cut them to bring inside because they have endured so much through our wild Winters here. I just enjoy them in the garden! Today I put our snow shovels back into the garage again. Hope we won’t have to shovel again until next Winter! Your Memorial Day snow sounds like one for the record books, Marlene! Hope you are busy with a stitching project and having a nice week. Sending hugs!💗
Oh dear Dawn, I thought of you when we watched the news and saw yet another snow falling on you! You are so right, a garden is a teacher! The strength of a little bulb or seed or perennial never ceases to amaze me. We have had a fast and furious Spring this year followed by very warm days. I had to be especially diligent and notice the changes that happen so quickly. Azaleas, snowball viburnum, columbines, and lily of the valley are blooming now in all of their glory. Thinking of you and your family, my friend. Enjoy your time in the garden. I find so much peace there.
So happy for your visit today, Martha Ellen! 💕 Two snowstorms in April was so unusual here! Last Saturday’s snow fell on Prom Night for our local high school. Although the weather forecasters warned us that the storm was heading our way, it was still unbelievable! We are wearing Winter jackets and carrying umbrellas. We’ve had close to five inches of rain this week in the area. Our fragile planet is warning us that we MUST take better care of our environment.
Your garden sounds just beautiful, dear friend! So much in bloom! Do you cut Spring bouquets or enjoy the blossoms outside?
Thank you so much for thinking of my family, Martha Ellen. Your kindness means so much to me! The garden is teaching me very important lessons this Spring… and my heart is listening.
Love you! 💗
Love to you Dawn! I couldn’t agree with you more about our Mother Earth. So many indicators that we must heed and heed soon! We are quite dry considering how wet last year was! We’ve had violet storms and lost a large hickory tree, but not much rain.
I do bring in flowers from the garden. On the dining table I have a vase of Snowball Viburnum brightening up the room! In the kitchen I have a small vase of lily of the valley–smells so fragrant. In the bathroom I have a single pink rose in an old small bottle. I love bringing in flowers! Your’s on your porch sounds so welcoming. Take care, my friend. xoxo
Isn’t it incredibly sad and frightening to see the wild weather occurring across the globe, Martha Ellen? At a recent gardening presentation, a Master Gardener cautioned us to consider the trees we are planting now in our gardens. Our garden ‘zone’ number is changing due to global warming and we must take that into consideration for new plantings.
What a lovely treat to enjoy your Springtime garden inside, too! Your blossoms are several weeks ahead of ours… and I’m already dreaming of cutting bouquets. 💕 This year, I’m so excited to bring bouquets of garden flowers to my mom! There are a few cherished plants in my garden that we transplanted from my mom’s garden over thirty years ago. It will be so very special to share them with her again! Heartfelt thanks for always being here, dear heart! 💗
Ever-so-slowly – a timely reminder for me this day, and especially this spring. You described our weather so well, Dawn, and chronicled our winter, from end-to-end, so well. I am sitting here, giddy, for the sun finally showed up, despite the gloomy forecast. 🙂 I visited the gardens for the July Walk last week and know the homeowners are all anxious to get into the dirt which is so sodden right now. Still . . . some things are blooming. The redbuds are stunning this year. Thanks for this lovely post. Here’s to bountiful blooms.
Such glorious sunshine this morning (and through the weekend, too), Penny! Patiently, we can begin our garden keeping, being mindful of not compressing the wet soil underfoot in our garden beds. Today I’m going to step through the garden gate to play in my Herb Garden. The narrow flower borders and raised herb beds are easy to clean up without stepping into the wet soil. The grass is waiting for its second mowing of the season today, too. I think of the garden as my ‘health club’ and I’m so ready to spring into action!😊
How fun that you are already visiting the gardens for this year’s Garden Walk! Thank you for all that you do to make the Garden Walk & Faire happen each July, dear heart! Just thinking about the warm weather activities makes my heart smile. We will have bright sunshine for all of the artists who will gather in the park this weekend, too!
Thank you for being such a dear friend of our blog, Penny! Have fun digging in the dirt today! 💗
You’ve had a good start to gardening season. Because of weather, the biggest thing I’ve gotten complete is moving leaves. We’ve had had no more than one day free of rain a week. It’s been like a cold, gray, gloomy, swamp. I’m going to have to work double time to catch up with you. 🙂
We must continue to cultivate patience a bit longer, Judy! It’s so hard to look at the calendar and think, “I’m so far behind in the garden.” Our forecast calls for another long string of rainy days next week, too. I know that you have a much, much larger garden as well as a Plant Sale coming soon, Judy. I hope that you will spend some enjoyable hours with needle and thread, while I hope to play with paper and ink in the coming week. Ever-so-slowly, all of the Springtime colors will blossom… and so will the gardeners! Thank you for always being here, dear Judy! 💗
Dawn, what a winter you’ve had; what a year you’ve had. If anyone can weather these changing storms, it’s you. I’m glad your garden is standing up to the punishing weather. My goodness it’s been a challenge. I hope, now that it’s May, your spring is finally here to stay. Sending love your way. xo
Challenging, to be sure, dear Alys!! Every morning, as I peek out through the lace curtains at our gorgeous, pink Magnolia near the front porch, I am filled with renewed strength. These delicate blossoms are still holding on and adding such beauty to each day. The blossoms have endured so much wild weather over the past two weeks! As the pink blossoms twirl down into the garden, I count my blessings for all of the good things that help us through life’s challenging times.
It looks like this weekend will usher in a nice stretch of mild, sunny days! I’m so excited to dig in the dirt. 😊 Wishing you happy days in your beautiful garden and a Happy Mother’s Day, sweet friend! Sending warmest hugs!💗
I hope you enjoy Mother’s Day, too, Dawn. How lovely that your mom is now so close. Big hug. xo
Heartfelt thanks, Alys! We are all looking forward to spending a very special day with our mom! 💗
Your garden is looking amazing already, Dawn!! And wow—patience. That’s a lesson I think the universe has been trying to teach me for my entire life. Now that I’m waiting for all this neck and head pain to go away, maybe I’ll finally be forced to learn it haha
Oh, Chris! Please try to be patient with yourself, my friend. You just proved the powers of strength and determination in your recent race!! I’m so proud of you, Chris! Your huge accomplishment called for a great deal of patience and perseverance, too! Your Summer adventure sounds absolutely wonderful. Hugs for you and Todd! 💗
Aw thank you, Dawn! I am trying my best. Seems like I can learn a lesson or two from you haha. Many hugs to you as well 🙂