It’s a typical January, in Walnut Creek - chilly at night, but around 60 and sunny during the day, which allows for some hope that spring will soon be here. Actually, it may as well be spring, despite the frosty nights: All the California native plants have had lovely soaking rains, which is their trigger to start growing. If we’re lucky, the hills will soon be full of color, with blooming poppies, tidy tips, clarkia, lupine, mule’s ear, and Chinese houses, making a sort of natural mosaic painting out of our landscapes.
And in my own garden, promise is definitely lurking.
It lurks in the chicken egg (or two!) that we are now getting every afternoon, signaling longer days.
It lurks in the pollinator gardens, in which thousands of seeds have germinated and are starting the push to grow and flower.
It lurks in the buds on the perennials.
It lurks in the native bulbs, like this elegant brodiaea, about to bloom.
It lurks in the vegetable beds, where whorls are tightening to make flower heads, which we will eat, soon.
an Italian variety of cabbage
It lurks in the greenhouse, where early summer flower seeds are germinating.
It lurks in the beehive, where pollen is steadily being collected, to feed the babies.
And promise also lurks in the fruit bushes, with budding flowers and fruit.
Huckleberry
Strawberry
It’s heartwarming to walk around the garden and see these promises of spring. Have you seen any signs of it in your garden, yet?