The End of the Bare Days

These last few days have brought a change in the garden, a change that clearly marks the move from one season to the next. Buds have been bursting and leaves opening on the trees. There has been a noticeable greening of the up-to-now bare trees since the weekend.

Acer negundo ‘Kelly’s Gold’ on the right and Acer griseum coming into leaf.

Flowers on Magnolia ‘Yellow Lantern’ and Betula ‘White Light’ coming into leaf.

Betula ‘White Light’ with the attractive bark and to the left a horse chestnut leafing up

The hornbeams are slow to leaf but have a light greenness on them over the last few days. Cydonia oblonga (quince) on the right is fully into leaf and now beginning to flower – if we have a good hot summer we will have fruit.

Clearly the seasons are moving along, from spring into summer, and growth in the garden has suddenly made that annual spurt that comes with the warming temperatures. It is a welcome time. If you are of a doubting nature, one who wonders, even fears, if treasured plants will resurface after the winter then this is a time of reassurance as old friends make that welcome annual return. The smallest appearance, those first emerging leaves, are a wonderful reassurance that the garden will grow again as in previous years.

There is a magic to this time of year, nature resurgent, appreciated, lauded, loved and adored. We are very fortunate to live in a climate which has seasons, distinct changes as the cycle of the year turns. We may at times long for the permanent blue skies, constant sunshine and higher temperatures of other countries but I imagine such conditions could become tedious. For me, a life without such seasonal changes would be humdrum. Without the bareness of winter, spring would lack much of its attraction and, an ever-summer would become tiresome without the respite of autumn and winter.

Flowers before foliage – Magnolia stellata

Flowers first – Magnolia ‘Yellow River’

Flowers first – though difficult to see them – Paulownia tomentosa, The Foxglove Tree

The greening of the trees is very welcome, justifiably celebrated, one of the beautiful seasons of our gardens. It’s time to enjoy it again this year.