It’s the end of March. The Vernal Equinox is past. We can properly talk about Spring.
Instead, to gladden hearts and look forward to lighter, brighter days, we asked each hive member to give us a flavour of the things she most looks forward to with the coming of Spring. Violets rather than snow?
Joanna’s Spring : Inspiration and Magic
If you see a whitebeam on a calm day, or look at the pictures of it on the RHS website, you’d say it’s nothing special. Glossy green leaves, clusters of small white flowers in Spring, red berries in the Autumn. It’s a relative of the common rowan (mountain ash) and it shows. Nothing to admire here, you might think. Move on.
But when the breeze blows? Or when the leaves first unfurl? Ah, then it’s a different story, for the undersides of the leaves are a magical silver-white. In Love in the Valley, George Meredith described it as: “flashing as in gusts the sudden-lighted whitebeam”. He was clearly a fan: the whitebeam catches the eye as well as the light. And the writer’s imagination.
Her whitebeam’s leaves are still tightly curled, though the prunus behind is in its full glory
For me, Spring comes pretty late. It’s when my whitebeam finally puts out its silver-backed leaves to invite the breeze to play. Best of all, I love to look at it on moonlit nights, with the new leaves quivering like tiny ghosts. Or maybe they’re silver-clad fairies?
Sarah’s Spring : Energy and Surprises
Ah, Spring. I always feel a rush of energy, an urge to get out and get moving after snuggling up under the blankets or in front of the fire for the past few months.
I love spotting the first snowdrops, whose brave little green shoots appear in February . A few years ago I captured this little beauty on camera.
This year will be a little different, because I have just moved to the West Coast of Scotland.
The HIghlands.
Liz’s Spring : Joy, Hope, Life
One minute I’m hunkered down, lights on because the it’s grey outside when a shaft of sunlight catches me in the eye, making me blink. I look up from the keyboard, the sky has cleared to a clear blue and I venture outside without a coat.
“This is fine!” he said to himself. “This is better than whitewashing!” The sunshine struck hot on his fur, soft breezes caressed his heated brow, and after the seclusion of the cellarage he had lived in so long the carol of happy birds fell on his dulled hearing almost like a shout. (Kenneth Graham)
For me spring is not just one thing, it’s a shout of joy, hope, life.
Sophie’s Spring : Get It Done Now
One day the cherry trees in my street are a cloud of fragrant white blossom.
Then the winds blow, there are a couple of icy mornings and, lo and behold, the street is covered with confetti and the trees are entirely green leaf and visible twiggery.
Lovely surprise followed by nasty shock.
The birds are working bloody hard building nests and choosing mates and they do actually knock off at night, exhausted. After all they have to be up with the pre-dawn to deliver the Morning Chorus and get their potential mates interested.
No wonder his song always sounds so fierce.
So what spring says to me is: leap out of bed when the birds start chirruping and jolly well put some welly into it. You Have Work To Do! And yes, it’s wonderful —once I get going.
Your Spring : What gladdens your heart at this time of year?
Is there something — a plant, an animal, a sound, a scent — that means “Spring” to you? Something you wait for? And when it arrives, do you take a deep breath and relax contentedly into your skin? Please do tell us, so that we can all share the magic moments.
Liz, Sarah, Joanna, Sophie — from the Libertà hive
March did the decent thing and, having come in like a lion, went out like a lamb. Here’s hoping April keeps it up. ?
Daffodils and blossom. I have to have daffodils in the house from the minute they appear in the shops – even if it’s in January. And Blake’s a favourite in this house, too. Current Resident Poet credits him for his love of poetry in general.
Me too, Lesley. Love them.
I agree Lesley. The moment they’re available we have them in the house. The beginning of the year is so drab and dire you need something to lift your spirits.
The last day of March has been super up here in the north. Cold but sunny and very little wind. Just right for a Mother’s Day walk!
I was up in the woods yesterday and though the bluebells are budding, it was the carpet of white that took our breath away. Wood Anemonies or “Wooden enemies” as Rory in my book TORN calls them.
Have just got back from 3 days in London and my whitebeam still hasn’t actually opened its leaves. They’re beginning to loosen, though, like slightly unfurled silver-green fans. Actually, I’m glad I didn’t miss the opening. Should be in the next day or two. Probably set back by the heavy snow ? we had on Thursday morning, just as I was rushing to catch the train.
But the fine Easter weather has finally done the trick. My whitebeam is beautiful. Here it is, gleaming in Easter Sunday sunshine.

