The Flowers of Spring

I love to walk around my yard in the spring and watch the growth and new life that returns. I have some favorites that have come from other family members.

A few years ago, one of my aunts gave me some woodland ferns and columbines. The ferns have disappeared, but the columbines continue to flourish. The breeze likes to shift the seeds around the yard, so I never quite know where they will appear next year. In varying shades of lavender they make quite a special display.

Also in the moist, shady spot of the back yard, I have a small group of jack-in-the-pulpit that has thrived for the 40 years we've lived in this location. The coral bells seem to like that area of the yard as well.

I have some beautiful fall lilies that came from my mother-in-law's yard. There are yellow lilies and some with a deep maroon color. I just have to keep all the weeds out of that little patch.

A couple of years ago, my daughter gave me a start of a lilac bush. It is growing well and bloomed very nicely this year. I love the scent of lilac wafting past me as I walk through the back yard.

Against my back deck, I have 3 special plants growing. One is an antique rose bush - Fantine LaTour - which they say is so old, they don't know exactly how old it is. The blooms last one day in a beautiful purplish-pink color. The second day, the blossoms are more withered. I got the start of this rosebush from my father, in Arizona. He had gotten a start from a first cousin, who had gotten their start from my father's mother, who had lived in Ohio. Since my 4th great-grandparents came to Ohio in 1795, and this rose bush is such an antique, I would like to think that perhaps they brought a start of that bush from New Jersey to Ohio with them as a remembrance of home. Of course, I can't prove that, but I like to think that. My mother always had a huge honeysuckle plant growing beside her home. I was able to get a start of honeysuckle from a plant here in Ohio, and now my honeysuckle bush is as large as hers was. It also draws the hummingbirds, which my mother also loved. The third plant is a hydrangea bush that my other daughter got me one year for Mother's Day. It too is doing extremely well and increases its blooms every year.

Other flowers in the yard include lily-of-the-valley, two iris plants, pink and dark pink peonies, two very huge hosta plants and a Japanese dogwood tree. The tree was a sapling given away by the local electric company when our oldest grandson was small. The tree is about 19 years old now is a sight to behold when it blooms. There are red and yellow tulips in the spring, balloon flowers, and an Easter lily. I have lost my beautiful coral poppies.

My walk around the yard brings me special pleasure and special memories of family members that have contributed to our collection over the years.