Spring in here!!

We have had a l-o-n-g winter, starting with the first snow storm that hit us on the last day of October 2008. In my region, that snow fall caught many people by surprise. There was a great deal of damage to those unprepared for an unusually early snow blanket. The heavy snow broke branches, knocked down several trees and flattened part of my garden. It was a big shock when I came home and saw several of my few years old standard rose trees snapped in half.

After months of restless wait, and not able to do anything in the garden, finally I woke up to be greeted by a weak sunshine with a clear blue sky, a typical day of early spring . The air was crispy fresh and the quicksilver rised up for the first time to 12degrees celcius by mid noon.

There are still snow on the north facing shadow side of the opposite hill, but our south aspect sunny exposed garden are now beginning to show some colours and signs of life waking up from a long winter hibernation.

Abracadabra! ....and the winter spell in my garden is officially broken. The whole south facing slope is now covered with nodding white blooms of snowdrops.
Crocusus are popping up all over the place enriching the joy of spring arrival with patches of colours, ....even in unexpected placesThis white Heleborus Niger also known as Christmas Rose, seemed to be ahead of Foetidus and the others cultivars.
Miss Spade and Mr. Fork are still waiting for the ground to fully thaw before they can start getting into gardening action, digging new planting holes and uprooting weedy resprouting brambles but Unermüdliche rose, which arrived from Italy in late February, though still living in a small pot, surprisingly made an impatient jumpstart ahead of others.
These are just small signs of new beginning to the gardening year with so many more exciting and promising days ahead. It is the time of year to celebrate growth, to be out and about enjoying the outdoors, the fresh air and a good dose of natural vitamin D from the sun.

Of course, the joy of spring can be a different story for those with seasonal allergic reactions.
http://rae-dogblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/dog-spring-allergy.html