Remembering Springtime

Nostalgia reigns in the garden as leaves begin to fall and the crisp scents of autumn begin to fill the air. Our rains have begun here in the Pacific Northwest and the trees are settling into the waiting months of winter and spring. We look back with longing to the seasons of flowers and huddle under umbrellas and raincoats as the winds blow the leaves into spirals at our feet. One of my favorite memories of earliest spring is the emergence of the blooms of Flowering Quince— Chaenomeles speciosa to be precise. This Japanese quince variety carries hues of vivid hot orange in the dullest season in our landscape. I have not yet seen this specimen in bloom— it was offered for sale after its bloom time was ended— but a few late blossoms assured me it was true to species. Perhaps it will be for the next lucky owner to discover her enchantments.