Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
Ready… set…
Even though the gardens and grounds are open year-round, we try to look our very-extra-best for the official opening of the mansion and the true start to our summer (please let us have spring first!) … Read more.
What month is this?
The Mayflower (Korean spicebush/Viburnum carlesii) is in bloom along with the tulips – which makes me think it must be May … but there’s snow in the forecast (a very slight chance) for Sunday … … Read more.
More blooms, no waiting
Spring blooms are not queuing up in any kind of orderly succession – they’re storming the gates, pushing and shoving and all shouting at once. The tulips are not waiting their turn for the daffodils … Read more.
Carpe diem
The ‘Ice Follies’ – the first of our daffodils to show their faces have already started to fade. They’re not fading away just yet but the bright yellow trumpet they were born with is a … Read more.
Every day is daffodil day
The daffodils are a little early for their own party. It’s kind of like planning a surprise for someone who decides out of the blue to drop by early just as you’re putting up the … Read more.
Set backs and springs forward
It’s not often that little Rhody makes the national news. By now most of you have probably already heard that we just had a “100 year flood”. (Only we’re not supposed to call it that. … Read more.
Working overtime
The landscape is changing before our very eyes. Plants have taken advantage of the recent heatwavelet to push out leaves, flowers and seeds like it’s their job and they’re putting in for overtime. I’m astonished … Read more.
Tiptoe through the tulips with me
We scheme and we plan and we cross our fingers and we hope for a succession of blooms and then when everything blooms at once we say “Oh — Wow.” There’s a brilliant carpet of … Read more.
Stellar weekend
Hey, what’s that thing up there that’s all bright and making me feel kind of warmish? Could it be…? No… I don’t believe it. Yes – it’s true – the sun’s out! Yesterday’s gale dried … Read more.
It just keeps getting better
Last night’s rain may have made a few of the daffodils face-plant but it brought out that delicious fragrance of spring that put the visual beauty almost in the background. Almost. I would have closed … Read more.