April Newsletter
Delightful
daffodils
“Once more in misted April
The world is growing green.
Along the winding river
The plumey willows lean.”
Happy Spring!
Our days and nights are back in balance at last. Though it’s nearly imperceptible, the soil is reawakening and bulbs are spending their last bit of stored energy to end hibernation. Lilac buds are ready to burst, and they are quite a delight to witness (pictured left). Daffodils have pushed their rugged greens from deep below other plants to show off their tea cup flowers.
Speaking of showing off: the botanical name for daffodils is Narcissus, but not because they are self-obsessed. The flowers have narcotic effects and are named from the Greek word narkissos, or numbness. The mythological Narcissus turned into a daffodil after dying of self-obsession and was thus given the name. In short, daffodils are older than Greek myths.
Enough about etymology. We will begin our spring cleaning tasks on April 4th if the weather cooperates. This is always a chaotic time of year between the weather and our laundry list of undertakings. What the snow hid from view for four months requires much attention.
Here are our objectives for the coming weeks:
Remove remaining plants debris
Edge beds
Fertilize
Spread compost
Mulch where needed
Aerate the soil
Then there is the plow damage: heaps of stone thrown into plants, snow banks crushing shrubs, and chunks of lawn strewn about. We will do our best to remedy these, but lawns requiring intensive repair may need separate attention.
Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any special requests. We aim to keep our crews on a regular schedule, weather permitting. Our crew leaders will be more than happy to assist!
The Garden Life Team
