The First Daffodils

February in the flower garden is quiet, but the garden begins to change in small ways. The grass turns greener, daffodils begin to emerge, and by the end of the month we usually see our first blooms.

Over the years, I have grown to love and look forward to the daffodils returning. There are so many varieties, and they’re easy to grow. Nothing eats them. No protective layers required. Unlike my tulips that need barriers and a bit of hope that the critters will stay away.

What the Garden Has Taught Me

Watching the daffodils begin to emerge reminds me of why I love growing flowers and how my relationship with the garden has changed over the years. Their quiet return, year after year, is something I have grown to love. They remind me that spring is coming, even when the garden still feels asleep.

When I first started growing flowers, I followed and learned from flower farmers. Those early years felt like a blank canvas. The garden was bare, and each spring I planted nearly everything from seed, with the exception of a few perennials. The flowers that returned, like the daffodils, showed me what I was longing for. They came back without my help, and I didn’t need to start each season from scratch. Slowly, I realized that what we truly wanted to create was a flower garden, not a flower farm.

The garden now gives us endless ways to create and has become a beautiful canvas for my photography.

The Rhythm of Returning Flowers

Now the garden is filled with flowers that return, and I love that. I love knowing I can rest in winter alongside the garden. I love the rhythm of the seasons, the way everything has its time to grow, to bloom, and to be quiet. While I still direct sow some seeds each year, the majority of our flower garden comes back on its own.

As the garden slowly wakes up, I find myself thinking about its meaning and how good it is for the soul. My husband and I talk about this often.

We talk about the sound of the songbirds and how good it feels to get our hands in the dirt.

The garden also keeps us moving, and in that rhythm we find something grounding. Something that feels steady and meaningful in a world that often moves too fast.

A Season for Gathering

In my last post, I mentioned that this spring I want to connect in a smaller way with others who share a love of flowers. A place to gather, to share stories, and to celebrate the simple joy of growing. A space shaped by the seasons and the quiet beauty of tending a flower garden.

More soon, as spring gets closer and the garden starts to wake up.

kindly, xo

Jane