Signs of Spring

Spring in Christchurch is full of floral pleasures.  This week the cherry blossoms in Harper Avenue are a sheer delight, and they may well be gone by next week.

Cherry blossoms are called Sakura in Japanese, and this is the name of a popular Japanese folk song familiar to many of us.  Cherry trees and blossoms have a special significance in Shinto and Buddhist traditions.  Linked to the Buddhist themes of mortality, mindfulness and living in the present, Japanese cherry blossoms are a timeless metaphor for human existence.  Their blooming season is powerful, glorious and intoxicating, but tragically short-lived — a visual reminder that our lives, too, are fleeting.  The beauty of the flowers short and sweet, and there are contradictory meanings as well.  Cherry blossoms symbolize both birth and death, beauty and violence. They are a central motif in the Japanese worship of nature, but they have also historically signified the short but colorful life of the samurai.  Kamikaze pilots during World War II adorned their planes with cherry blossom images as they prepared to “die like beautiful falling cherry petals for the emperor.“

These blossoms seen along the way
remind us we must seize the day

 

 

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Blue on Blue

As spring advances the flowers in my garden move from the white snowflakes and narcissi towards shades of blue.

There are ipheions

 

and grape hyacinths

 

the first bluebells have appeared

 

there’s even a blue sweet pea

All these flowers made me think of the song by Bobbie Vinton, whom I saw live in Auckland many moons ago when he toured with Gene Pitney.  It’s a sad song, not at all suitable for the hopeful season of spring.

Blossoms are also starting to open.  Soon my garden will go from blue to pink.

Spring goes from white to blue to pink
with roses soon to come I think.

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Autumn Leaves

Our beautiful autumn trees demonstrate that summer is over.  The evenings are darker now Daylight Saving Time has finished, and the lighter mornings  are welcome.

We’ve had cold days and evenings where we’ve needed the heat pump on to keep us cosy.  However today has been one of Indian Summer.  A high of 26 degrees meant we could have breakfast and lunch outside.  I worked in the garden clearing away plants that have done their dash, and welcoming spring bulbs that are already pushing through.  Ipheions and Muscari are well on their way to brighten the colder days.

Although we’ve not felt winter’s sting
already there are signs of spring.

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Symbols of Spring

Today we walked along the daffodil lawn, where the flowers are just starting to come out.

By the bridge fern fronds are unfurling.

“It seems that spring is almost here
although the day is cold and drear.”

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Beginning Blossom

Lovely to see this blossom down Colombo Street this morning.

It’s cold and the solstice is still five days away, but the message is that spring is coming.

“To see the blossom flowering there
makes me think spring is in the air.”

 

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Feast of Flowers

The cherry blossom’s out in Harper Avenue, always a joyful sign of spring.

I couldn’t resist crossing the road to enjoy the daffodils too.

When people are crossing, the traffic lights stop the cars to let pedestrians and cyclists through – just as it should be.

“The cherry blossom is superb
with daffodils beside the kerb.”

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Brand new Blossoms

I spied these blossoms as I walked down Colombo Street.  They are the first I’ve seen this year.

Early blossoms

“The blossoms like to have their fling
but it’s still winter – not yet spring.”

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Vernal Vegetation

Hagley Park, just outside the Botanic Gardens, has wonderful spring flowers just now.

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We are lucky to have all this natural beauty available in our central city.

“The spring flowers really make their mark
and can be seen all round the park.”

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Dressed Daffodils

The pot of mini-daffodils on offer at the Supermarket this week was a temptation I couldn’t resist.  My dislike of spring celebrations in autumn was not enough to deter me.

‘Easter’ daffodils

On Thursday they had just one open flower.  Today there are a dozen beautiful blooms.  More than enough to give an unseasonal taste of spring.

I noticed on the checkout screen they came up as ‘dressed daffodils’.  Presumably this was because they came with a little nest of eggs,which we promptly exiled to the back garden.

Easter nest

I wonder, will any leftover pots be cheaper next week, minus nests, and selling as ‘undressed daffodils’?

“This lovely pot of daff’s can bring
an out-of-season taste of spring.”

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