What is springtime through the senses of a newborn? Juniper is a tender two weeks old, so I’m guessing most of it is lost on her. She’s focused on discovering the taste of milk, the smell of momma, the feeling of daddy’s freshly shaven cheek. Nevertheless, spring is sprung and I have been introducing her to its wonders.
One of my favorite early flowering ornamental flowers is Winter Daphne. You will get no fruit from this small shrub, but its intoxicating smell is (almost) enough to earn a spot in any garden. Placed by the front door, you will get a wonderful welcome home at the end of a rainy March evening.
Juniper met Winter Daphne on our afternoon walk recently – how fun to watch her reaction when the sweet smell hit her senses! It was like a shocked “Whoa, what was that?”
The gentle crocuses have popped up all over our garden, always one of the first signs of spring. They were planted years ago and have multiplied with neglect. I try to plant them along path edges and near our patio where we can easily admire their delicate blooms. I sacrificed one so Junebug could feel the soft, delicate flowers.
Our flowering quince is just now starting to open its buds. The bright pink flowers will hopefully turn into heavy fruit this fall that I will use to make jelly. Around that time, Juniper might just be big enough to try some herself.
How fun that a new baby is giving me the chance to rediscover all of these tiny wonders of spring!
