Monday

The black mulberry is full of buds. I hope that they will be safe from the cold weather that we still have left this winter. The white mulberry lags behind this tree and isn't showing any signs of baby mulberries or leaves as yet. The mulberry is always the first to offer some signs of spring in the orchard. I have seen along the road on my way to town, many trees in full blossom but in our little valley, the spring comes a little later and so we don't have any blossoms just yet. They will appear in their own time. We can manipulate things on a small scale like sowing seeds early in heated seed trays but in the overall scheme of things, as a gardener and as a farmer, you are dictated to by nature and the weather. Everything has it's season.

I am adoring my daphne bush right now. It is such an unobtrusive little shrub and really unless you look at the blooms up close, it could be overlooked. That is when the scent comes in. It has the most intoxicating perfume which belies it's humble looks.

I especially like daphne because it is the plant that Tim bought for me when our son was born. I know that a bunch of flowers is romantic in many women's hearts but for me a lovely plant that can keep on giving speaks love to me.

Tracy