Darling buds. There’s no denying them now. Sprung, almost everywhere. Early blossoms of many kinds. Some trees are shooting thin stems with newborn baby leaf, too, though this may be more of a southern thing.
I can’t help but anxiously scan the horse chestnut across the road even though I know its sticky buds are likely still a way away. Can impatience be a virtue?
The high Hampstead woods have clumps of flowering daffodils, far ahead of the bulbs we’ve planted in pots on the roof. There, the muscari (grape hyacinth) will be first: a Farmer Gracy freebie with the autumn narcissi and tulip order. I am hoping they are the darker blue, but of course we forgot to keep the bag they came in. We will anyway welcome the surprise.
Looking out of our kitchen window, I see Kala’s winter clematis is exploding in flower: evergreen Clematis armandi ‘Apple Blossom’ delivered for her birthday two years ago by Mitzi & Maud, complete with good pot and bowed ribbon. One of our better presents.
There are skinny branches of cheering cherry blossom in a vase on the table as I write – bought not scavenged, I hasten to add. The earlier flowers are near finished, but new leaf is bursting through.
The roof-terrace Magnolia stellata is covered in furry bud – many times more than ever before. The first of the smooth cream petals are unfurling now. It will be a good year for them, I think.
The kitchen-herb window box’s trailing rosemary has been in flower since before Christmas. All a bit confusing to me. It is now a mass of pale violet flowers set against the morning sky. I fear, though, the thyme and marjoram have suffered through the winter months. I’ll hope light pruning and warmer weather may bring a revival. Their turn and time will come.
Allan Jenkins’s Plot 29 (4th Estate, £9.99) is out now. Order it for £8.49 from guardianbookshop.com
