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Spring has sprung,
the grass is ris’.
I wonder where the birdies is?
The bird is on the wing,
but that’s absurd.
The wing is surely on the bird!
– Anonymous
Ok, so it’s not spring just yet. It’s a fun little verse though, no matter which version you know, so why not deploy it a touch early…especially when the signs of spring are bursting out all around? Bulbs pushing through the still frosty ground…morning birdsong growing more buoyant by the day…dormant buds tentatively unfurling to test the air…all bringing with them an overwhelming sense of relief that the coldest, darkest days of the seasons are behind us once more and we can look forward to brighter mornings, longer evenings and a curious abundance of chocolate eggs in supermarkets as the coming season shoves its foot in the door and tells winter it’s being evicted.
For Landscape Architects spring can be a real mixture of challenges and pleasures: landscape and visual impact assessments become more difficult as foliage starts to obscure views; Contractors, Clients and Project Managers feel the pressure of finishing planting jobs before the end of the season, often at a time when the weather casually alternates between too cold and too wet.
But it’s wonderful to watch the landscape leaf up, a lush patchwork quilt nestling over the land, draping town and country alike in green until they resemble the landscape masterplans found on our drawing boards. It’s always exciting to see dormant planting designs come to life, gradually punctuated with vivid interruptions of colour which constantly change as the months pass.
It’s invigorating to become spurred on by the approach of summer, filled with the promise of landscapes brimming with life as everyone makes the most of the warmest months of the year. Every season has something to offer, but many would agree that spring has the most potential to be uplifting. A new beginning. A fresh start.
Let’s try to pause now and again, look around, take in the opening buds, the brave little bulbs, the cheerful birdsong, and enjoy the onset of the new season and all the promise it holds, looking forward to the rest of the year. Oh, and if you time it right, discounted chocolate eggs.
