My garden is waiting. I am waiting. We are all waiting for the winter solstice and the days to start getting longer again, imperceptibly. Actually the lack of perception is on my side; my garden knows exactly when the days start growing longer, and how much lighter it becomes each day. The plants in my garden perceive the quality of light, measure time and temperature, take a moisture reading, note the wind's strength, and constantly test the soil. They are much more patient than I am. They must be. They wait until it is the right time for them to "blossom pollen scatter seed swell dwindle and perish/come back next year crimson, purple/...(Philip Whalen).
Every day when I look at my garden it seems like nothing's happening, until I look closer. Then I see exotic pink blossoms on our grevillea bush--the new one that is healthy.
I see the buds on the cymbidium and the climbing aloe.
I see our Persian Lily growing thick green spears, preparing to send up a shower of blue stars.
Our Cape Honeysuckle is in mid-bloom.
No wonder the hummingbirds continue to defend it fiercely. Doesn't it seduce you, too? The hummingbirds also enjoy our blooming Mexican Sage in the front yard. The other day one stopped two feet from my windshield as I pulled into our driveway. I had either surprised it, or it was reminding me that it had already claimed that sage bush.
Our raised bed sits waiting, full of rich nursery soil. I am so impatient to fill it with winter greens, but I have to wait a bit longer. If I put them in now, they'll just rot.
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