A flower for Valentine’s Day. February 15, 2013
Posted by ourfriendben in gardening, wit and wisdom.Tags: global warming, Valentine's Day, winter aconites
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Silence Dogood here. On Valentine’s Day, I was walking our beloved black German shepherd Shiloh in the backyard for a much-needed bathroom break when I saw a flash of yellow. OMG! It was a winter aconite bloom. Winter aconites grow low to the ground, where their golden, buttercup-yellow flowers bloom amid palmlike foliage. But why was it blooming in February?
Winter aconites, with snowdrops and hellebores, are the first flowers of spring here at Hawk’s Haven, the cottage home our friend Ben and I share in the precise middle of nowhere, PA. But as with flowers enthusiastically described as blue or black that are actually purple, winter aconites are early spring, not winter, bloomers misnamed by overeager gardeners or marketers. However, this is February. We still have snow on the ground. And here was this bright gold aconite flower, truly living up to its name!
Much as I fear the effects of global warming, my own heart was warmed by this one. It seemed like a Valentine’s Day present to me, to OFB, to Shiloh, and to our home. I hope all of you had surprising and wonderful Valentine’s gifts as well!
‘Til next time,
Silence
No blooms here, still covered in snow although the temp is rising a bit. How sweet to find that little bloom on Valentines!
I was really excited, Carolyn! And this morning I saw two more buds opening!
I do wish you posted photos – I would love to see this beauty.
Have a wonderful week-end!
Lea
Lea’s Menagerie
Hi Lea! Too bad we’re such Luddites we can’t even take decent photos, much less post them. You’ll just have to picture this little bloom—along with two more buds I saw starting to open today—in your imagination! Wishing you a great weekend as well!