A New Life Cycle Begins
After months of bone chilling cold and several feet of snow, Mother nature finally eased her grip. The temperature has been increasing slowly and the spring rain has arrived. It’s been raining on and off since yesterday, with intermittent drizzle. When it was just drizzling, I took the opportunity to walk around looking for both survivors and a new generation in the garden. The deer and rabbits have done a lot of damage this winter. I guess hunger made them try anything they can get their teeth on. Yew hedge, rhododendron, iris, hydrangea, clematis, and tree peony bore the signs of being munched on.
There are also new flowering plants that have pushed themselves above ground. Tulips, hyacinth and daffodils I rescued from the garbage bin have never failed to express their gratitude year after year. Not many tulips left though. The chipmunks managed to dig a lot of them up last year even after they had started to flower. Snowdrops have already bloomed. Grape Hyacinth and Dwarf iris will follow close behind.
A new cycle begins again. I can hardly wait for a dry sunny day when I can begin pruning roses, feeding the plants, cleaning up the garden in general, and putting new seeds in the ground.
The Alyssum ‘Basket of Gold’ (Aurinia saxatilis) is a perennial that produces bright yellow flowers. Butterflies and bees love them. This particular one was buried under a mound of snow this winter but it’s happy and perky again.
I will have to cage these tulips before the chipmunks find them. I have no idea what this one is but the pattern on the leaf is beautiful and the resulting flower will be so vibrant.
Petals and Wings 
Exciting times! Happy that winter has finally thawed for you.
It’s going to be really busy from now on, but happily busy.
We still have more snow-covered than snowless ground but the daffs are getting encouraged.
The Daff’s just need spring to move a little further north. Hope your bees have weathered this winter well.
Hope your plants can recover from the deer-rabbit damage. It’s exciting to see your symbols of spring emerging.
The deer and rabbits only nip off above ground; the chipmunks are the ones that worry me. They dig up my bulbs and kill my plants left and right. How are your Gardenias and ginger lilies?
Darn those chipmunks then. My current nemeses are moles. The gardenias will recover fine. It’s a bit early for the ginger lilies so I forgot to check them. Must do that!