What Matters

it's what you see and what you dream. The reality is that much of this lot is ridiculously dry and dusty (for now). Susan and I planted last night (some chives, some sea thrift, we think they will handle it) and digging into the ground was something like being in a great dust storm of earlier times, mixed with hitting chunks of brick and cement. Not ideal, in other words. But if you crouch down in certain areas, there are all these amazing bulbs that managed to survive in this most inhospitable place and they are spectacular. I am crazy for this tulip. It is the sweetest yet tough-as-nails thing.

Up On the Roof

I started a new job over here. It's a great opportunity to learn more about green roofs from some pretty cool people and to participate in one of the more sustainable and worthwhile things happening in the world of plants today. As an added bonus though, its also kind of fun to be working in the kinds of places that almost make you forget entirely where you are. With my head down weeding today and hand raking out plant debris, a lot of the time I forgot that I wasn't actually standing on the ground. That's a pretty good trick for a completely fabricated environment on a rooftop several stories up above street level. It's like an alternate reality.

How Many Times Can You Fall in Love On One Spring Day?

With a heavenly scent, sweet flower or some fabulous foliage? Too many to count if you spend a spring day at a nursery or two. Let the crushes begin. It's a new season and it's time to fall in love again.

New Leaves on the Block

Really new because not only are they the first of the season, the tree itself was only planted last fall. Looks like some kind of Linden. Just a few leaves out and many fat buds. It's been hard to follow the order of things this season because the warm temperature has pushed so many plants ahead and so much is happening all at once. But even in this speediest of springs, there are small moments in the lives of plants to catch while just walking down the city street. So this year, the eating of our first salad tonight out of Joe's cold frame and the earliest leaves of a Linden coincide. Not exactly a serious phenological observation, but we'll take it.

Flowers in the House (of One Wild and Crazy March)

Unfortunately, I am not only late to Jane's Flowers in the House party, I'm also short on flowers in the house because Susan and I have been busy trying to get them in other places. So here is a flowers in the house (of muffins)...

One in the commode (at home, a sweet picking by Joe)

And some in the house (of coffee) up the block. Kind of wishing that they could all be mine to wake up and see tomorrow morning when of all things winter will actually be making an appearance for the year. Not sure I'm so ready yet to be growing these things for other people to enjoy. We didn't think these daffs were going to come up and be the typical yellow (you never know with some bags of bulbs), but now I'm thinking that maybe we don't need to be so quick to dismiss the ordinary as not being worthwhile.

 For Jane's sweet pickings and what's blooming now in Virginia (lilacs already, holy moly), visit Jane at SmallButCharming and follow the links to her fine flower-loving friends too. (Sorry Jane. Next time I'll be sure to remember to save some for home and for me.)