Monday, March 12, 2018

Bloomin' Lovely!

Chronica Domus
Bringing flowering branches indoors is an annual and pleasurable rite of spring
Photo: Chronica Domus


I know that spring has not officially begun but I have felt its impending arrival keenly these past few weeks.  Refreshing downpours and even a rare pounding of hail has helped paint the Bay Area's open spaces green ...

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Sonoma county's verdant farmland
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
Happy cows in pastures green
Photo: Chronica Domus


... and awakened its gardens from their winter slumber ...

Chronica Domus
Like clockwork, my garden's white wisteria is in full bloom by mid-March each year
Photo: Chronica Domus


Even the birdsong has intensified with the arrival of March's lengthening days.  Of course, with rain comes flowers and although the majority of my own spring flowering bulbs have yet to put on their show this season (I was a wee bit late with the bulb planting I'm afraid), that does not prevent me from enjoying the store purchased varieties.  My thoughtful husband presented me with several bunches of yellow daffodils a few weeks ago, just because he knows they are my favorite flowers.

Chronica Domus
A cheery gift from my husband
Photo: Chronica Domus


I always feel that bringing the outdoors inside helps usher in that feeling of renewal and helps to put a kick in one's step.  I'm sure you know exactly what I mean.  The plum tree in the garden is already in full burst but as I hesitate to hack away at its branches - springtime blossoms are summer's fruits remember - I instead seek out bundles of pre-cut branches to purchase from the San Francisco Flower Market.  This is what I brought home two weeks ago:

Chronica Domus
A lovely spring vision to behold!
Photo: Chronica Domus


I don't recall having seen such showy double blossoms before so I asked the vendor if he could identify them for me.  I was taken aback when he replied they were peach.  Yes, peach.  It appears I had been under the mistaken impression that peach blossom was exclusively pink.   As it turned out, the double blossom of this highly ornamental white flowering peach is particularly fetching and takes an age to unfurl from it's pompom-like buds. It is a joyous vision of spring to behold.  The branch arrangement lasted a full two weeks, right up until I replaced it on Saturday morning.

After a fortnight of enjoying the muted tones of the lovely peach, I was now in the mood for something a little more colorful.  These salmon-pink tulips fit the bill perfectly:

Chronica Domus
Mother Nature provides us with the most luminous color
Photo: Chronica Domus


The two dozen tulips happen to look marvelous alongside these quince branches:

Chronica Domus
Ornamental flowering quince is a particular favorite plant material of mine to bring
indoors each spring
Photo: Chronica Domus


Captured below in the cool light of Sunday morning, the kitchen was positively aglow with spring cheer.  No wonder those chirpy little birds just beyond my window are singing a little louder these days.

Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
Flowering branches and tulips bring a welcome air of spring to the kitchen 
Photo: Chronica Domus


Is there something you particularly look forward to bringing indoors to place in your vase each spring?  Whatever it might be, I'm sure its bloomin' lovely.

Happy (almost) spring everyone!

23 comments:

  1. What a cheerful post - we are on the cusp of spring but honestly this winter has been so brutal. So brutal i tell you! i was tempted to go somewhere the other week and then flights got cancelled bc of snow! but your flowers...I have to plant my bulbs which I forgot about too

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    1. Hello Naomi,

      I've heard all about the recent snowy conditions in London and how Londoners have come to a grinding halt at the first sight of a few snowflakes. I do chuckle at the thought because it looks like nothing much has changed since I left for California over 20 years ago. You'd think the local councils would have got their act together by now, and motorists would have discovered chains or winter snow tires.

      Surely it must almost be over so keep warm and I wish the soil thaws quickly in preparation for your late bulb planting escapades.

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  2. Hello CD, I am always amazed by the delicacy of so many of the early Spring flowers. Here the flowering season never ends entirely, but now Nature seems to be making an extra effort, so some of the effect and festivity of Spring does arrive in Taiwan.
    --Jim

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    1. Hello Jim,

      I agree, the delicacy of spring's flowers is something to behold, especially given the harsh winter conditions some of them endure to put on their annual show (I'm particularly thinking of the first bulbs that manage to push through late winter snowfalls).

      I do hope you would consider writing a post where you include photographs of what happens to be bloom in your part of the world right now.

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  3. Beautiful blooms! I cut some quince a month ago and brought it in to force into bloom. Also some forsythia--I was just hungry for color, I guess. Daffodils are also a favorite of mine. Yesterday I cut some and added a little green food coloring to the water to give them pretty green edges--just to surprise my husband and give a nod to upcoming St. Patrick's Day.

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    1. Hello Granny Sue,

      I miss forsythia, which grew in my family's garden when we lived in Kent. I'm sure a grouping of it indoors looks spectacular when in bloom.

      I must try your food coloring trick on some daffodils, which never crossed my mind until I read your comment. Perfect for St. Patrick's Day indeed (perhaps I'll try it with some white narcissus that are about to bloom in my own garden).

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  4. Happy springtime to you! It is just looking so beautiful in your kitchen, and your photos are stunning. I'm also amazed that your white wisteria is already in flower? Gorgeous!
    I do try to bring in forsythia branches to bloom inside, I think this week the timing will be quite good. I buy LOTS of flowers in late winter, and to just be able to go in my garden and snip some branches is a real treat.
    Thank you for this lovely post. I adore your kitchen! xxx

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    1. Hello Dani,

      Thank you for the kind praise. I am so pleased you enjoyed the blooms. I am happy to have them in my kitchen where they are admired daily as I toddle by them. They always stop me in my tracks for a brief moment while I admire their ephemeral beauty.

      About that white wisteria - it is crazy that I can set my clock by it, having come into full bloom around March 15. My neighbor has a purple wisteria and hers always blooms about a month after mine for some reason.

      Enjoy your forsythia branches. It is such a cheery bloom.

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  5. I was in your neck of the woods just early last week picking up some cargo at Port Chicago ironically enough before transporting to several military installations. We were in & out in a flash but our windshields were carpet-bombed by the honey bees local growers employ to pollinate the cherry blossoms.

    By the I-5 signage, the growers don't like water policy but hasn't recent rainfall helped matters?

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    1. Hello GSL,

      I would rather be carpet-bombed by sweet little honey bees than a swarm of gnats any day. Love honey bees!

      As for the water in California, or lack thereof, it depends which region one lives in. The north will fair well with the rainfall but it is the Central Valley that always suffers and that is where most of the farming takes place.

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  6. Such a pretty post! I love all the spring flowers you've selected, especially that double blossom peach. There's something about flowering branches inside that I adore.
    Here we are officially in Autumn. The days are shorter, but it's still very warm to hot. Despite this I saw a single red leaf on one of my trees, although I know I won't see much real leaf change until mid April (and it doesn't get cold until mid May!). Happy Spring CD!

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    1. Hello Heidi,

      Displaying branches indoors is something I've enjoyed doing since I was a teenager when I lived in England. I used to bring hazelnut branches to my mother in the spring and we'd arrange them in big vases around the house. The roadsides of the Kent countryside were full of hazelnut trees and the branches look very fresh and appealing during the months of March and April.

      You sound exactly as I did when I spotted the first red leaf in my garden last autumn. It is an exciting time in a place that has prolonged periods of heat.

      Enjoy the coming days and I wish you many more red leaves in your garden.

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  7. I watch for our tulips to bloom in mid-March every year and this year the first one came out on March 12. Thank goodness for color in the garden in late winter!

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    1. Hello SB,

      I can see the leaves of my tulips alrady, but they are in no hurry to flower. I cannot wait!

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  8. Dear CD... Thanks for visiting, the “ Grand Lady” ...I was so happy to return the visit into your blossoming post... It so inspiring to see the beauty of the peach blossoms and lovely spring flowers that excite my heart with the sense of a new season of gardening. Flowers are a wondrous gift of JOY... and perhaps this year, thanks to your kind advice I may smell a bouquet of my own sweet peas... Please do ENJOY your day !!!!

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    1. Welcome aboard Zaa, and thank you for your visit.

      Flowers provide me with endless inspiration and you are quite right when you say they are a "wondrous gift of joy".
      I look forward to following along on your sweet pea adventure and wish you much luck with your planting. I will be setting out my seeds within the next few weeks.

      Please do come visit again, and often!

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  9. Your flowering branches are just gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. I'm already on my third bundle this season. Can't get enough of them.

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  10. The white flowers in the first photo are really beautiful. I can associate its beauty with cherry one.

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    1. Hello roughterrain crane,

      I agree, the white flowering peach blossom is indeed beautiful and does remind me of white cherry blossoms.

      I would dearly love to travel to Japan to see the famous cherry trees in bloom one of thse days. From the images I've seen, they are a sight to behold.

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  11. Thanks for your comment on my post. The museum I visited is Ibaraki Natural Museum located 60 km northeast of Tokyo. Passing five days, cherry blossoms in Tokyo will be in full bloom.

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    1. Hello again, thank you for coming back and letting me know about the museum and the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. How nice it would be to have a post on that if you are planning a visit to view those beautiful trees!

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  12. Dear CD, Hope you are well. I am writing to say I hope you post pictures of your Easter table this year. Your table settings are the reason I found this lovely blog! All the best, SB

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