Spring

Spring is a date on the calendar. The feeling of spring is what happens in the garden. Whenever it arrives at your door, it is a season of hope, renewal, buds swelling into blossoms, and new leaves unfurling color on the landscape. Spring summons joy in the soul. Even in this moment of COVID-19 when everything seems upside down, the garden grows, ignoring the noise and responding only to the changing light and awakening life.  

A selection of individual blooms

The first day of spring, March 19, in my Arizona garden is a celebration of flowers. We’ve had an unusually wet beginning to the year, and wildflowers and volunteer self-sowing seeds are creating a carpet of colors in my happy place. I’ve gardened here for over 40 years, and little by little I’ve gotten some things right. My mantra for planting anything in my garden is,  it can grow here if it flowers here.” 

Over time I’ve learned everything blooms in time. So today, I’ve taken a spring wander around my garden to notice my flowers. It is a color walk.

Golden Fleece

I began seeking out yellow blooms, and it is indeed the color of spring. My climate doesn’t easily support daffodils, but there are many yellow signs of spring. I look only for the yellow flowers. I find the tiny and plentiful golden fleece with its daisy style blossom, the Angelita daisies in a slightly larger size, and the Desert Marigold, its happy yellow face with double petals.

Desert Marigolds

I find a Gerbera daisy, a tall and elegant snapdragon, and yellow bells with multiple bell shape blossoms on each stem. For my color walk, I select one stem for every plant and then put them in a vase.

Gerbera Daisy

Another walk around, I’m in both the front and the back gardens this time,  looking for the white flowers. I have a Texas Olive shrub/tree depending on how you prune, and it has big white flowers. It begins flowering strongly in the spring and then blooms for months, even during the intense summer heat. My citrus trees: orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and kumquat, are flowering and these all have white blossoms.

The flowers differ in size with the lemon blossom the largest, the kumquat the smallest. All are blooming and scenting the morning and evening air with the most sensational fragrance. I’ve grown alyssum for years, it makes such an excellent ground cover, and it too has a sweet scent I love.

Alyssum

Over the years it has self-sewn its seeds wherever it wants. I let it grow, later I will tidy things up, but in the spring, it has free rein to create these puddles of white beauty. 

Yerba Mansa

Around my fountain I have Yerba Mansa; its roots can overrun a flower bed. But if I pay attention, I can keep it corralled well enough and it takes the fountain overspray in stride. In return, I get glossy green leaves and tall, erect white blooms. White lantana is climbing up my obelisk, Gerbera daisies, and creamy white freesias are popping up around the garden. 

White Lady Banks Rose & silver wooly butterfly bush

On the golden west wall, my Lady Banks rose is bursting into flower held up by the old wood of my creeping fig vine. There are white Dutch iris in bud, I can see the color, but today on the first day of spring, they are still tightly closed. Soon, soon they will unfurl their petals into a fleur de lis pose and grace the stage for a brief three days before bowing away till next year. The leaves of the calla lily rising, but their blossoms are still days away.  Gathered and watered my white flowers are placed in a vase.

Tangerine Cross Vine

Orange is not my favorite color, but you can’t have desert plants and reject orange flowers. The aloes, in particular, come in shades of coral to bright pumpkin orange. There are blue elf aloes, aloe vera, tree aloe, and walking aloes. Nasturtiums self-seed and after many years wind their happy blooms here and there. Orange Mallows have grown so tall they fall over so you can see their cups of color from the side. Spring flowering of my tangerine crossvine is a brief burst of breathtaking blooms. 

California Poppy & Alyssum

California poppies with their silver-green lacy foliage open each day with a five-petal cup of color.  I have a succulent Gasteria with a coral and pale green blossom beautiful enough to inspire an interior redecorating scheme. My silver-gray wooly butterfly bush is just beginning to bloom its little orange balls. I especially like to contrast the orange flowers with the purple.

The purple and blue flowers are an essential contrast to the garden. I keep trying to add more of these, and for now, the best performer is the blue salvia with its spires of deep blue blooms that last for weeks in the summer garden. The very first blooms are just now appearing. 

Purple & White Lantana w/ last weeks Dutch Iris

It has taken over two years, but my combination planting of white and lavender trailing lantana is finally thriving. Mild winters have allowed the plants to thrive, and my pruning has been minimal, so this spring the two colors are climbing up my copper obelisk in great form. Stock usually provides deep purple color and great scent, but this year every planting of it has been a disappointment; my neighbor reported the same result. It is an annual favorite, yet this was not its year to shine. 

Emu shrub, bluebells

The Australian flowering emu shrubs are hardy and well adapted to my climate, so I have the Valentine and bluebell varieties. The Valentine with its lipstick-red flowers is finished blooming since they get their name for the season of love. The blue is just beginning to flower again with its silver foliage. I have it planted against a short wall painted in dusty amethyst. A deep purple flower is my potato vine, an upright shrub with dark green foliage and nary a potato involved. 

Mesa Red Blanket Flower
Gillardia

Red, true glorious blue-red has a bed of its own. I keep the hot, vibrant colors on the west side of the garden, and my red blanket flower, another perennial, is revving up for the summer. I have a variety of deep red nasturtiums, red dynamite yucca (the petite variety), and red snapdragons, which are slow to open. I like to combine curly deep green parsley with red flowers.

Rainbow Chard

Chard is not my favorite vegetable for eating, but I do like it growing among the flowers, and rainbow chard adds excellent color. 

Dragon Wing Begonia w/ a shamrock popping out underneath

The entry to our home is lined with pots and for several years I have filled them in October with red dragon wing begonias. The location protects them from wind, provides partial shade, and regular water on my drip system. They bloom nonstop bright red flowers with glossy green leaves through May when the heat begins to take its toll. What other plants perform so gloriously?

Pink Splash Geranium

Then I look for the pinks: fuchsia, blush, pastels, and variegated blossoms. I like pink flowers the best. I take one walk around to collect the blooms of the geraniums. There are no solid red geraniums in my garden. I have peppermint twist, raspberry twizzle, white and pink splash varieties. I love the combinations. For years my geraniums have summered at a friend’s northern cabin, so when I collect them in October, they come home healthy and lush to return for a second, third or more season in my garden.  

Parry’s Penstemon Pink

Spring resprouts my pink Parry’s Penstemons, and they are in full flower right now, tall spikes of bell-shaped blooms dance in the March breezes. Kalanchoe, a new variety I just put in the garden a couple of months ago, is blooming in double deep pink blooms. Pink and white cyclamen are flowering in pink pots.

Polka Dot plant (HYPOESTES PHYLLOSTACHYA)

I have a deep pink scented carnation and a lighter color in dianthus. Freesias are in shades of pink and in a combination of pink and yellow. 

Freesias & Lantana

The property line in the front garden is a hedge of dwarf pink oleander. This ancient plant exists in gardens today because it grows easily, vigorously, and consistently blooms. Mine are pale pink, and while I rarely use them inside as cut flowers, I do appreciate their long season of blooms.

My garden is in a standard subdivision, it is a property with less than a 1/4 acre, and I work hard to keep it flowering. When I do my color walk, I improve my focus on the flowers in their many colors, shapes, and postures. Some gracefully spill over the pot, trailing along the path.

Gerbera Daisy

Others like a Gerbera daisy stand up straight and proud, dominating the scene with a smiling face. What we focus on matters, when I search for a specific color, I see more clearly. I think I know what I have and hold it precious every spring. Yet, just as I do this, my neighbor walks past a flax plant and comments on its little blue flower, which I had completely overlooked. It is a tiny bloom, a bud the size of a grain of rice, and I missed it! 

Buds of Lady Banks Rose

This spring, the spring of COVID-19, is still spring. Noticing is in overdrive throughout the world. We are noticing our priorities, our neighbors, our helpers, what is open, canceled, and closed. We are all in a heightened state of awareness. My color walk in my garden is a luxury. I realize this, and yet I know this is the true gift of gardening. I don’t get these bouquets of color overnight.

One blossoms of every color blooming on the Spring Equinox

This wander of beauty is the result of years of learning, planning, planting, growing, arranging, and noticing the difference between the weeds, and the wanted sprouts of spring.

Shamrocks, (Oxalis) seem to pop up everywhere

Some flowers are annuals; some self-sow, growing without extra effort from me. Perennials require patience to allow them to thrive, and many times after the best show, they decline, fade away, and I must start again. 

This spring, I have a wave of contagious color. My desert marigolds are invading the front sidewalk, and there will be cleanup duty after this flush of flowers. But now, oh my, it is glorious. It is spring in my garden, and it is great to be a gardener. I am grateful to be alive in this spring. 

Plant Something!

Plant something now.

25 thoughts on “Spring”

  1. Linda, what a beautiful virtual tour of your garden – and how therapeutic in time that seems surreal. But, as you point out, Mother Nature is doing her work regardless and paying huge benefits to those who work with her.
    Gratefully
    Betsy

  2. Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden! Spring is on the way in MN – I just need to be patient. :-))

  3. Thanks so much for sharing your garden ❤️
    I love all the colors and your arrangements of the different colors

    Flowers just put everyone in happy moods

  4. The flowers are gorgeous
    Thanks for sharing
    Can you send to the water aerobics friends?
    Becky
    This is our get together for March ❤️

  5. Your garden always looks lovely. Thank you for sharing it with others. The beautiful way you put it all together is exceptional.

  6. Linda,
    Thank you for the tranquil walk through, of your garden, this a.m. It was manna for my soul. I see such beauty, love and hard work in your garden and writing. With Sincere Appreciation for this marvelous WA virtual, soul loving meeting of our minds and spirits. Once again, I am truly thankful for our group. Love and Hugs for Sharing. Sue VB

  7. Linda,

    Thanks for this beautiful walk in your garden. You are truly a Master Gardener. I always think it’s “man against nature” to plant in this part of Arizona. You have mastered the art of man working with nature (or to be more politically correct–women working with nature). Thank you for your inspiring work.

    Joanne (from H2O aerobics)

  8. How I enjoy your beautiful colorful flowers and plants! I have a nice spring desert garden also but you have so many more colors! Thank you for sharing, Linda!

  9. Oh, my goodness gracious, how did I miss this wonderful post which you put up a few days ago? Walking around your garden with you and collecting flowers to be displayed with such originality in their special vases was a pure delight. So when I reached the end and discovered your exuberant shout of HOORAY, I joined you. (And with a great deal of pride since I had taken that photo from your balcony.)

    You spread such joy. Thank you.
    Sherry

    1. Yes, you did take that photo and it makes me happy every time I look at it! Sending you digital hugs and kisses!

  10. Hi Linda! I love flower gardening. I always spend my free time on the weekend in the garden with my family. Thanks for giving these very significant gardening tips during the spring season. Thanks and keep writing.

  11. This is a long shot but hope I hope this will reach you Linda. I found this article after reading your Arts and Flowers article in Phoenix Home and Garden about your Mesa, Arizona garden and then found your garden articles and blog.

    I love your flowers philosophy and it resonates with mine. We have spent nine years on our Sun City Palm Desert garden and every day it brings new joys. I found that you Linda, also have online gardening information, a blog, a book and you are a garden speaker.

    The Phoenix Home and Garden article described a “vantage point for viewing vibrant sunsets and a comfy spot to sip early morning beverages” which is exactly what our step up patio with fire pit provides for us.

    What really caught my eye were the wheeled umbrella stands which the article states emerged from your husband’s workshop. We, too, have gusting winds and temperatures that range from 30 degrees to 120 degrees . Every summer we build an elaborate cage to cover our center island and put up sun shades to protect our plants. The wheeled umbrella stand I think would be a perfect solution to our summer heat.

    Do you suppose your husband would share his knowledge on how to build the rock-filled gabion cube on wheels? It appears you also are using extra large umbrellas and the fabric appears to give good shade. Any information you are willing to pass on will be appreciated.

    I loved this article on Spring in your garden. Thank you so much. I need to catch up with you, having only been gardening in the desert for about 9 years and having multiple failures and multiple successes. I will take note of all the flowers you have been successful with.

    1. Hello Connie, thanks for saying hello. Quite the detective you are. Rich built the cages with 4″ welding wire, and used low profile wheels rated at 200 lbs each. The rocks are filled in around a solid foam core and then he tiled the top. It has worked well for us. We sure hope to have some friends over for dinner soon. The umbrellas are just sumbrella fabric from our patio store. Hope that helps.

  12. Linda,
    Loved Spring in your garden, thanks for sharing. I will take note of your flowers. Over the years I have had little success with my garden. However, I keep trying.

  13. Thanks to Betty O’Neill for telling me years ago about your outstanding blog on your visits to gardens thruout the world and now sharing your OWN lovely “eye candy” garden. Kudos to your gorgeous pictures and delightful comments. THANKS!!

  14. Linda, Your garden is beautiful poetry in visual color. And your photography really captures the essence of its beauty. Thanks for sharing

  15. Thank you for sharing your beautiful garden with us – it uplifts the spirit and brings hope and joy. Spring is the time to plant something now – enjoy the coming season – where ever you are
    Jan

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