I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Yes, it is an excellent year for daffodils... as have been those years in recent memory. It seems that spring comes in slowly without huge temperature fluctuations... just now a beautiful day consists of 55 degrees without wind. I wrote of this in reference to the daffodils in 2009, and 2010 was a similar season...
“Fair daffodils, we weep to see you haste away so soon…”
"I suspect every gardener can relate to this line from Herrick’s 17th century verse. All the beautiful plants of the garden somehow seem short lived… never have I said “I just can’t take another day of that blasted crab apple covered with sweet scented bloom in the backyard…” Actually though, it seems that the flowers that come on first in the season are the ones whose passing I dread the most. Fortunately we had a great spring this past year… oh, the people who love the heat of summer complained about how it just wouldn’t warm up… but those of us who really appreciate the sights and smells of an ornamental garden, were at the top of our game. No, it really wasn’t all that warm, nor was it all that cold! Individual blooms lasted and lasted. We had daffodils in bloom for about six weeks! Part of such success comes from planting specific varieties for a long season of bloom, so we do have many different varieties installed all about the yard… however, even with such an assortment, heat can cause a dreadfully short bloom season."
It just happens to be a great time for daffodils, but there is plenteous supply of bloom in the gardens with more coming each day...
The hellebores are still looking great... I've posted many photos of them over the past couple weeks. I'm particularly enjoying the "Ivory Prince' plants in the rockery with their horizontally facing blooms...
Then too, primulas are starting to bloom throughout the rockery... I really enjoy them and their long season... a few are pictured here...
Happily, the magnolias are also starting to bloom. These include the early stellatas, loebners, and a couple Wada's Memory. Our temp of 28 degrees the other morning doesn't seem to have caused much damage...
I really have to say that the gardens are coming together better than I thought they would considering the health issues that both my wife and I have been experiencing this spring. I'd say we're just about ready for those tours that start next week... now let's hope that the weather cooperates! There may even be a little extra time for laying around on the ground and enjoying the view from that perspective!
Take care... Larry
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