Last year I bought a perennial white Lenten Rose.
It was billed as one of the earliest bloomers of the season –
As early as pre-Easter, hence its name.
I wanted to see if it really would do it.
But the garden I planted it in is north-facing,
And has been buried deep in snow for weeks
Without a break.
I went out looking for tiny blooms to transplant into my Easter garden, and
Found unbroken snow.
Today, at last, the snow melted enough for me to check how things were doing.
The tulip greens were up a couple of inches, the daffodils barely poking,
Not even the crocuses showing any color yet.
I looked for the Lenten Rose, finally exposed just hours before.
It was tiny and crumpled and distressed.
But
It had buds!
And when I tipped one to the light
I saw that there under the snow
It had BLOOMED.
Was that not brave?
And there shone the springtime hope I was looking for.
Your comments have been delightful. I wish you wonderful weekend and a blessed Easter.
Wow. That’s so neat!! So wonderful to see something blooming. The other day I brought in some forscythia and weeping flowering cherry stems and stuck them in water. It didn’t take them long to bloom!
Interesting. We just had one bloom this winter as well. Hellebore or Christmas rose were the names I had for it. So I looked up lenten rose and it appears to be the same. Ours has a whiter bloom. Flowers in spring are so exciting.
This actually made me cry Shari…I am so ready for spring, and growing things. I did go out just before our last predicted snow storm and dug up some mini daffodils and planted them into pots and brought them inside. They were already blooming so beautifully, and I didn’t want the snow to kill them. I was horrified after four or five days to see them turning brown and drying up, just like I had killed them instead of rescuing them!! Today I noticed I have two daffodils blooming outside, even though the snow still covers a lot of the northern slope of my back yard!! My little ones are now sitting on my back porch…ready to go back into the ground to get their nurturing for next year…I will probably leave them in the ground. And I am so anxious for my amaryllis to open up…it shot up a bud that is now 17″ tall!!! A gift!!
How did you get your amaryllis to bloom?! I am jealous – I gave up on mine! 🙂 Thank you for this comment, Mama. We share a longing for spring, and I believe in my heart it’s on the way (though at times it’s hard to be sure of). I love you. <3
I put the one that was not blooming on the front window sill, tried to forget it, thinking it hadn’t had time to completely dry out…watered a small amount once a week. One day I noticed a little tip of a green leaf pushing up on one side and then a couple days later a second leaf from the other side, and I began watering it and keeping the soil damp!! I know God was hearing my heart! (Not that He didn’t hear yours!!!Forgive me) It now had five green leaves only about 6-8 inches tall, when i spied a fuller pointed tip coming, and began praising Him!! I am so encouraged!! Don’t give up on yours completely! Put it in a pot, not covering the whole bulb, and water a little! Try a sunny window, I think it longs for the sun just as we do! I love you, too!!
ps…side note…the second small one in the other pot now has two leaves, but I’m pretty sure neither of them will bloom this year since they are babies I separated from the Mama one last fall…this is the year for them to turn into teens!
That is so beautiful! I love it! How even the flowers will bloom amidst the cold and deadness of Winter. Such hope!
Your bloom reminds me of the joy of the ressurection. This all has a new meaning this Easter. The pain in our hearts is so real as we miss Marlita everyday, but as I contemplate the ressurection its like that bloom under the snow there is joy mingled with the sorrow. The power of the ressurection is such Hope! That means everything to me.
Diane, I am so sorry for your pain. <3 Your faith blesses me.
Ahh the wonder n beauty of a Lentin Rose! May it’s tribe increase! It blooms during lent, hence the nickname. Here in the South, our burgundy one starts blooming around Feb n the blooms stay until April or May undisturbed by cold n occasionally snow! The Daffodils r very resilient too, showing their cheery yellow faces sometime in Feb. When the freezing cold comes, n the snow flies, they hang their heads and hunker down. But as soon as it warms up a little, they’re smiling bright again, heads high. In fact, cooler weather extends their bloom time. We had problems getting our Amaryllis to rebloom from one yr to the next until a friend shared a few Tips. Amaryllis are heavy feeders. We planted them in the spring in the edge of the garden were they get some afternoon shade from the beating sun. Let the bulb stick out of the ground about an inch or two. Each bulb got about 1/2 Cup of Bonemeal AND Bloodmeal (available at your local garden center) when planted. If you remember a side dressing of the same about 4-6 weeks later is a good idea. Just before frost, Cut off the green leaves and dig them up, Or earlier if u want them to bloom for Christmas. The bulbs should be massive by that time. Lay the bulbs out to dry and store in a dry, dark place were they won’t freeze. (Like under the bed or in the garage or crawl space) Let them go dormant for 4-6 weeks, and then plant them up in pots. They don’t need much dirt, and let the top Inch or Two of the bulb out of the dirt. If you have multiple bulbs, You can plant them up at the same time and they won’t all bloom at once. I don’t know why, but it makes it nice, so you have the mess of potting all at once. Set in a sunny windowsill and start to water, but don’t overwater. Most of ours bloomed this yr, and about half had 2 bloom stems! 😉 They do multiply, (but it takes a couple yrs for the babies bloom) and make excellent gifts! 🙂 I think all the extra work is worth the flowers in the house in winter! Now that I know these tips I bought some exotic colored bulbs I found on eBay. 🙂 Happy gardening!
That is great advice – thank you! 🙂