Memories of Spring

Imagine living in the year 1887, and it's the beginning of February. You've had a fair amount of snow - a lot, actually - and five days out of seven are gray and gloomy. It's cold and the weather forecast is for it to be even colder (did they have weather forecasts back then?). You're a gardener and you're longing to see the spring flowers, but you know it will be weeks, perhaps months, before you'll be cheered by them.

A Winter's Morning, Peter Henry Emerson

From Wikipedia

Thanks to color photography, we don't have to wait to see those beautiful spring blooms! The first known color photograph was produced by Levi Hill around 1850. As you can see, the color is vague, but you've got to start somewhere! (And notice the subject is holding a potted plant!) It wasn't until 1935 that Kodachrome was brought to the public, and it was in the form of 16mm movie film. The following year, color print film became available.

Photography has come a long way since those days and we now don't even use film, for the most part. Digital photography has made it easy for us to capture the beauty of so many things, and to share it with the world, if we want to.

So, in 2011, it's the beginning of February. We've had a fair amount of snow - a lot, actually - and five days out of seven are gray and gloomy. It's cold and the weather forecast is for it to be even colder. I'm a gardener and I'm longing to see the spring flowers, but I know it will be weeks, perhaps months, before I'll be cheered by them.

Oh no it won't! Until I can see the real thing, I'll enjoy these photos of past spring blooms. It's the next best thing...

Double Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno')

Striped Squill (Puschkinia libanotica)

Iris reticulata 'Harmony'

Species Crocus (Crocus sieberi subsp. sublimis 'Tricolor')

Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa forbesii)

Species Tulip (Tulipa humilis var. pulchella)

Unknown Tulipa

Peony Tulip (Tulipa 'Margarita') with Bloody Sorrel (Rumex sanguineus)

Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris 'Rubra')

Labrador violet (Viola labradorica)

Dutch Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis 'Woodstock') and
our native Giant White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Dutch Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis 'Festival Blue')

Geum coccineum 'Cooky'

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

Unknown daffodil

Daffodil (Narcissus 'Pink Charm')

False Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost')

Species Tulip (Tulipa 'Little Beauty')

Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x loebneri) 'Leonard Messel'

Helleborus

Unknown crabapple (Malus sp.)

Grecian Windflower (Anemone coronaria)

For more lovely spring blooms, visit A Hocking Hills Garden, where Lona takes a look back at summer with a pink theme!