Last weekend it seemed like a switch had been flipped and the dinge of winter was replaced by bright emerald – at least underfoot.  And the dimmer-switch of daffodils, forsythia and other harbingers of spring is all of a sudden being turned up and up and up. Those of you who received the Blithewold spring newsletter have already heard my spiel about spring and those of you who read the blog regularly know that I’m all for taking a break to walk around and take it all in.  This is exactly the moment in spring that I’d hate to miss – I want to catch every unfurl and you know if I could just sit and watch something open, I would.  — But what to choose?!

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The season is en route to summer and picking up the pace – but even though we’re ready to be warm, cool temperatures will keep spring in our step maybe a little longer.  Blithewold opens officially tomorrow!  And remember, even if the house is closed (like it is this Easter Sunday, and every Monday, Tuesday) the grounds are open.

Are you taking time out to catch the unfurl?  Is there anything you’d want to watch open if you could?

Nearly everyone is badmouthing the weather.  We are all, universally it seems, ready for spring by which we might all mean summer.  We want to be warm now and surrounded by green growth and flowers now.  We’re ready!  Even Gail and I, enveloped as we are in the greenhouse by warmth and growing plants, need a little hort therapy to hold the crankies at bay.  So off we went today to Roseland Nursery in Acushnet, MA and since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped in at Allen Haskell’s in New Bedford, MA too.

I’m glad I made out a wish list for shopping at Roseland (more on that later).  I knew it would be acres of naked canes but it was truly acres of naked canes!  There were more roses than I have ever seen in one place and  I can only imagine what the nursery looks like – and smells like – in June.  I plan on going back no matter how crazy busy I am then – I’m sure a break and some aroma therapy will be more than necessary.

Same thing for Haskell’s – I will make every effort to get back there because it was certainly worth the trip even to walk through the greenhouses. And seeing the bones and early blooms in their display gardens has me anxious to see it again in full summer dress.  Plus we enjoyed a little ornithological therapy too – I didn’t know about their gorgeous collection of multicolored Asian pheasants. (Gail actually bonded with one of them.)

Of course it’s also therapeutic to walk through Blithewold – even for us and even in the rain.  Daffodil Days begins this weekend and there are already a lot of blooms on the property.  If you’re waiting for the daffodils to peak before you visit, stay tuned!  I’ll put up a “daff cam” picture on each of my posts through Daffodil Days and try to make a prediction or two to help you plan.

Are you planning a trip out for rough-weather hort therapy?  Will you come here?

The other day Gail brought in the new terrarium book  – which happens to be called The New Terrarium: Creating Beautiful Displays for Plants and Nature by Tovah Martin.  I haven’t read a word of it yet but Kindra Clineff’s photos set off a whole new lust in me.  I will just have to figure out a way to make room in my house for more plants under glass…  Meanwhile, Gail also brought in her cloche collection with the idea of decorating the mansion’s dining room table for a photo shoot on Monday. So yesterday we spent a little of the energy born from inspiration working on new terrariums.  (I want to keep them!)

Because these are meant to be temporary displays we played a little fast and loose with the plant material.  The ferns are just fronds tucked in soaked oasis wrapped in plastic – Gail has performed this trick in the past and says the fronds will last a good 3 weeks.  The campanula, pansies and alyssum are planted (jammed) in potting soil and should last a week or so – maybe longer with decent light, cool temperatures and grooming.  The moss and cuttings of baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii) tucked in around the plants would probably last much longer.

There must be something about putting plants and things under or within glass that precious-ifies them.  Maybe it’s like a frame around a painting – it turns them into objet d’arte and definitely makes me want to go in for a closer look.  Have you seen the new terrarium book yet?  Are you inspired?  (Wouldn’t these make the best Easter decorations – à la Martha?)

It was an Out Like a Lamb kind of day yesterday and we spent a portion of it in the mansion’s dining room with as many of the garden volunteers as we could coax into a sit-back-and-relax luncheon.  I can’t possibly convey how tough it is to get this group to not work!  Even though many of them have already started working in the greenhouse and gardens, Gail and Julie and I wanted to kick off the season with a slightly ceremonious (and savory) Welcome Back and a Thank You for their dedication, hard work and good humor.  As Gail told them, they fulfill Blithewold’s mission by inspiring us and we absolutely couldn’t do what we do without them – plus they make  our jobs much more fun.  And even though the mansion is a little dark and a little chilly on a warm and sunny spring day, I thought the atmosphere in the dining room was totally cozy.

As we head into April, it feels like the gardens are welcoming us all back too.  The Trout lilies (Erythronium) are emerging, the Iris reticulata are blooming away, the Red maples are just bursting flowers out of bud, and many of the daffodils are even starting to show a little leg.  It won’t be long now.  The daffodils typically peak at Blithewold during the 3rd week in April but I wouldn’t be surprised if this year’s show was a titch earlier.  Warm days and cool nights keeps them in a one foot forward two back kind of dance.  More shall be revealed and you can count on me for updates if not accurate forecasting.

Speaking of updates, tomorrow is our blogiversary!  I’d like to thank everyone who clicks into the blog and I’d like to send a special Thank You out to all of you who have ever chimed in on the conversation, whether in the comments box, via email, or in actual person.  I feel like I’ve made some amazing friends – that’s a bonus I certainly didn’t foresee when I started.  And I’d like to welcome you all back for a third blog year, and another Blithewold growing season.  Garden on!