Gifts From The Lutherville Spring
It’s officially spring, the 2008 growing season is well under way, and I’m doing something I feared I wouldn’t be able to do this year after moving — enjoying a spring garden. Leaving the Overbrook garden behind at the start of winter, I thought I would also be leaving behind all of my seasonal markers and harbingers of spring – no more witch hazel to brighten the cold eternal stretches of February, no intoxicating scent of daphne to drink in late warm days of winter.And while I did miss many of my old garden’s first blooms of the year, the grounds surrounding our new home have provided many gifts of spring and growth.
About a month ago, while following a stream along an easement in back of our property, I came upon naturalized drifts of Galanthus nivalis. Since the Lutherville garden showed no signs of early season growth at that point, I dug up some clumps and transplanted them “in the green” along the main path down to our stream and along our front walk. The transplants took wonderfully, and a few weeks later skirts of white revealed inner petals striped with green. The last of their blooms have just fallen and I’m considering going back to easement to transplant more for a stronger showing next year. 
Along with the drifts of snowdrops in the back woods was some naturalized winter aconite, which I lassoed into the confines of my garden. While planting this on the hill above the stream, I discovered a small stand of crocus at the edge of the stream and stalks of daffodils rising from the sea of ivy and pachysandra. I now have at least five varieties of daffodils blooming in my garden. I was disappointed when I thought I would have to pass a spring without their blooms, their scent embodies all of the hope of spring. Just these little bits of early spring blooms have made all the difference and make me feel like I have a new garden of my own just four months after abandoning the old one.
Along with the drifts of snowdrops in the back woods was some naturalized winter aconite, which I lassoed into the confines of my garden. While planting this on the hill above the stream, I discovered a small stand of crocus at the edge of the stream and stalks of daffodils rising from the sea of ivy and pachysandra. I now have at least five varieties of daffodils blooming in my garden. I was disappointed when I thought I would have to pass a spring without their blooms, their scent embodies all of the hope of spring. Just these little bits of early spring blooms have made all the difference and make me feel like I have a new garden of my own just four months after abandoning the old one.
I also started digging in the first transplants from Overbrook and planted the butcher’s broom, Ruscus aculeatus, under a spruce along with some sacred lilies, Rohdea japonica, Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbie, and a cast iron plant, Apidistra elatior, in the upper back yard, which appears to be my driest patch of land. The variegated Buddleia 'Santana', went in a newly dug front border that I hope will provide enough sun.
And why stop with transplants? Time to spend some cash…some good looking and cheap specimens of Rhododendrons from the local big box store went in among the pachysandra on the hill above the stream and I found an $8 pot of my lost favorite, Daphne odora ‘Aureo-Marginata’ and placed that along the front steps. It’s small, but I’m hoping for just one bloom with its intoxicating fragrance next year. But for now I am grateful to be a gardener in Lutherville this spring.
And why stop with transplants? Time to spend some cash…some good looking and cheap specimens of Rhododendrons from the local big box store went in among the pachysandra on the hill above the stream and I found an $8 pot of my lost favorite, Daphne odora ‘Aureo-Marginata’ and placed that along the front steps. It’s small, but I’m hoping for just one bloom with its intoxicating fragrance next year. But for now I am grateful to be a gardener in Lutherville this spring.