in bloom

here in new york today, i can believe spring is coming. even though there's still snow on the ground (and lots of it), there's a certain mildness in the air that just feels like a change is coming. tulips and daffodils are popping up at every flower stand and grocery store - have you noticed?

it's amazing how certain flowers can just look like spring and sunshine and happiness, though i suppose it's because of all the years of associating them that way. some flowers are pretty accessible year-round and are perfect for brightening up a home during any season. but tulips and daffodils, at least here in the northeast, are pretty much non-existent until right around this time, so their arrival heralds the melting away of winter and the return of a whole different life.

at the end of last spring, and already now, i'm noticing lots of ad rem tulips (aka adrem), which are a variety of darwin hybrid tulips. they're orange in color, often with yellow tips and are known to be the best for cutting flowers as they grow very tall and the buds, tightly pointed before blooming can open to be 6 inches in diameter! beautiful, aren't they?

even though i love these spring flowers, i think i'm okay with the fact that they're only available for a few months each year - it makes the time when these pretty blooms appear a time of looking forward with anticipation and hope to a new season and all the beauty to be had.

photos from flickr and better homes and gardens