Through the Seasons at the Morton Arboretum - Then and Now (March & April)
Spring has sprung (maybe? possibly? hopefully!)
“In like a lion, out like a lamb.”
That old adage seemed to (mostly) pass us by in March this year. Still, if Grandpa Kammerer’s journals are any indication, it certainly held true for some of the years he was keeping notes on the weather’s effects on the plants of the Arboretum and greater Chicagoland:
“The worst sleet storm in years. Tree branches down everywhere. Much damage, especially to silver maples, willows, elms, and fruit trees.” March 2, 1932
“Effects of storm very discouraging. Many trees disfigured.” - March 3, 1932
“Spent a part of the morning in Arb library. Walked back to office. Many buds appear in bad condition as a result of the recent cold wave. Form[al] Garden looks deserted without its enclosing hedges.” March 16, 1932
“Iris reticulata in bloom today. Picked a blossom and took it to the office.” - March 12, 1954
On my recent walks through the Arboretum, I’ve been lucky enough to catch some early signs of Spring, harbingers of warmer weather, and a palette of brighter colors soon to sweep the landscape.
Even with all of his in-depth horticultural knowledge, sometimes the unpredictable spring weather insistently derailed grandpa Kammerer’s plans:
“Today’s snowstorm makes my weekend garden activity seem a bit premature.” - March 29, 1954
Looking back at my April dispatch from last year, it seems that the blossoms and blooms are making a more leisurely effort to show their full beauty.
Most of the photos from that post were taken the first week of April, while my most recent jaunt around the same areas of the Arboretum this year was during the last week of March. Indeed, a week can make a big difference, especially with flowers that bide their time while onlookers observe them only to explode from the earth as soon as they sense no one is looking. The early spring blanket of color sometimes seems to unfurl overnight.
Regardless of the timing, with March’s omnivorous unpredictability behind us, April will surely usher in the first wave of blooms and greenery for the Spring (and even in just the first week of the month, we’ve surely had enough showers to bring abundant flowers come May).
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I love seeing how vibrant spring is!!