March 2025 Newsletter: Outside Lies Magic

Greetings, friends – 

Outside lies magic. Don’t we know it! John Stilgoe’s 1998 book by this name encouraged us to go outside, open our eyes, and explore our own neighborhoods. Now that it is full-on spring we encourage you to get out and look for magic yourself in all the little things that celebrate renewal and hope. We offer some tips below.

~ Saxon Holt and Nora Harlow 

Ericas for Mild-Winter
Summer-Dry Climates

So, your summers are reliably dry, warm to hot, and sometimes, if only briefly, scorching. Your winters are usually wet and chilly but sometimes, briefly, icy cold. Years of drought and winter downpours both are common. Your soil is partly or mostly clay. Can you grow ericas? The short answer is maybe.

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Instagram Memories

From March 23, 2023: 
Tulips are native to some of the hottest summer-dry climates where they really need to go summer dormant and be ready for spring. Here, Tulipa sylvestris is nodding after a spring rain.

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The Magic of Spring

Spring is rebirth, regrowth, renewal. “Hope springs eternal” said the poet Alexander Pope, but we might rephrase: Spring is hope eternal. We hope you are finding some magic in your garden this spring.

Big Leaf Maple tree (Acer macrophyllum): It is absolutely magical to see trees in flower as their leaves unfold.

Thank goodness spring comes back every year. We can count on this tonic of rejuvenation. Don’t miss out – make a point right now as you read this to go looking for the proof. Where to look? Go look very, very closely at some spring ephemeral flower.

Notice the undersides of this Epimedium show a multicolor petticoat.

When we see the garden awaken, as leaves unfold, seedlings sprout, and bulbs push out of the ground, we can’t help but feel joy.  Look for awe wherever you can.

Get down low to the ground, on the ground, and look for leaves as they emerge. Look them straight in the eye and be amazed at the vigor and vitality. Spend a few moments languishing as you look and drink in the magic. Ahhh, spring.

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Links We Like

Print this list of poems so you can take them with you out into the spring and read them away from the light emanating from this screen. Ten Poems of Spring.

We would love to hear about any resources you would like to pass along. We all get these snippets from our news feeds and inboxes. Let’s share the best and we will keep the running list so you can find them later on the Links We Like page.