In the Bulb There is a Flower

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Last week, we were at the plant nursery, looking for fruit trees on clearance (there’s always room for one more, right?), when the children begged me to buy some bulbs.

We picked out some more crocuses to go around the bases of the plum trees, jonquils and daffodils to ring our new honeyberry bushes, and tulips to peek out from around the winter savory on the edge of the herb beds (above).

I cannot tell you how much I wanted to pick up several more hyacinths, even more crocus bulbs, alliums, and loads of Fritillaria, but the budget didn’t permit.  What we did get was already quite an extravagance.  Next year, perhaps…

Harold was so excited about the tulips.  He chose a range of hues from palest pink to deep magenta.  While I prefer tulips in salmons and corals, I let him choose the colors he wished to see growing here.   After all, it’s the children’s garden, too!

George was fascinated with peeling bits of papery husk of the Narcissus bulbs.  The paperwhites will be forced indoors to give as Christmas gifts, and we will keep a few to enjoy ourselves at the holidays.   The smell of paperwhites always harkens of a fresh, clean start in the New Year.

I love planting bulbs in October, when we spent our effort digging in the dirt to bury little dormant things that will not bloom until April or later.  It is the delayed gratification that I love about it.   They are the promise of something beautiful yet to come, something good we must anticipate and I’m reminded of the hymn:

In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Joining Wooly Moss Roots for her link-up on gratitude, because there are so many things here to be grateful for: sharing my love of gardening with the children, having a home and a yard -a place in which to plant bulbs, sharing time outdoors digging in the dirt with my sons, anticipation of beautiful blooms in the spring…

11 thoughts on “In the Bulb There is a Flower”

  1. Taryn Kae Wilson

    Hello Angela,
    Thanks for sharing Gratitude Sunday.
    It’s wonderful to see your little ones partaking in the magic of the garden. I love how you described the wait for blooming making the bulbs special. 🙂

    Love, Taryn

    P.S. I saw your comment, we’ve always wanted to visit One Green World. One of these days… 🙂

  2. Angela

    Taryn,
    Thanks for visiting! It’s definitely worth going to a tasting at One Green World. Oh my, the persimmon gelato…it was heavenly. We have purchased almost all of our fruit trees, cane berries, berry bushes from them, and I am very happy with the quality and varieties. Such helpful folks there! Thanks again!

  3. Gretchen

    I love planting bulbs – we just bought some this weekend and will put them in the ground soon! They are magical – especially for little ones!

  5. Tilly's Nest

    Oh, you children will be so excited come spring time! I love planting bulbs this time of year. It reminds me that new beginnings are just around the corner. Thank you for linking up to the blog hop today.~Melissa

  7. Kim

    I love bulbs! The promise of what is to come is always so fun. My boys did the same as yours, begged me to buy some (irises). Of course I pretended that it was all their idea!

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