......rhododendron time

Yogis,
I expected the rhododendron to be blooming when I arrived last Friday, but the buds remained tightly closed. This bush was already here when we bought the beach house twenty years ago, sitting quietly to the left of the front steps. I don’t think I even noticed her to be honest. Fairly nondescript as it sat short of three feet tall. Fast forward and it now holds a prominent position in the front yard. She is my first and only rhododendron…so far.

I didn’t give it much thought until Monday morning while standing out front watering my newest plantings when something caught my eye. A small flash of fuchsia. Drawing closer I saw that indeed she was beginning her unfurling. Exposing her beauty for the rest of us to witness. When I drove home that afternoon, indeed my neighbor’s bush was blooming as well.

It’s rhododendron time!

I like to create and listen to playlists. Perhaps a throw back to growing up with albums where you knew the order of the songs by heart. As the last refrain of a song faded away you were already anticipating the beginning notes of the upcoming song in your head. There is something comforting in knowing exactly what is coming next. Spring to me is like a four-month long playlist.

The opening song is always my Lenten rose who dares to bloom in February. A late winter preview of what’s to come. The waltz of the early spring wildflowers follows with forsythia hymns and the ringing of bluebells close behind. Then the melody of dandelions and violets begin to dot the lawn leading into a crescendo of cherry blossoms.

Year after year the progression of songs doesn’t change. I listen for the first notes of the azaleas as April draws to her close and know the buzz of the bees that swoon over the early comfrey flowers is next on the list.

‘This is my favorite song!’ I think as the tulips open wide, but then I see the buds forming on the peonies and exclaim, ‘no this is my favorite song!’ not unlike what happens as I dance to my well listened to playlists. And we still have the summer and autumn playlists lined up ahead of us.

I learned something this year while being attentive. Rhododendrons and peonies bloom at the same time. Both old fashioned beauties. Together they weave a romantic melody that I will now hear in the years ahead.

Nature never disappoints…….

Rolling down the windows and turning up the music,
SARAH