Early bloomers and anticipation

The garden is a mess of dry brown stems and bright green weeds.  Both are in abundance 

and it's obvious the gardener hasn't been in attendance.  

But the early bloomers are showing their colors, and I'm eager to get out and start the clean up - getting the garden ready for those Spring days when it feels like everything is happening at once.

The hellebore is my favorite early bloomer, with its demurely nodding blooms.

The violas have such a different personality, with their dainty perkiness.

The first blooms of the Carolina Jessamine are tiny wallflowers that I have to search out, 

but I hope to have a fence full of blooms in a few weeks.

The pink carnation has been producing it's small frilly blooms all winter, 

though they're smaller and less abundant than in warmer months.

Though I'm eager for the days to lengthen, to have an entire warm day to get my hands in the dirt,  I don't want to hurry time - I want to take it slow.  I want to find joy in the anticipation.  And then I want to look long at each new green shoot, at every opening flower bud, and cherish the miracle.

In the Pink

Think pink and you think of grace, gentility, and happiness. Regardless of the shape of the flower – from the tight, small buds of a pink garden rose to the delicate, open petals of a pink caellia in full bloom – pink blossoms convey youth, innocence, and joy. 

from Teleflora's flower color meanings

Pretty in Pink

It was a hot and exhausting weekend working outside, but it was wonderful.  Now if we have rain tomorrow as the forecast promises,  all will be well.
The climbing rose is just beginning to bloom.  It's a simple, pale pink rose that blooms profusely for a couple of weeks in May. And it has lots of pink company!