Springtime In The TN Smoky Mountains (Sevierville TN)
Not everyone gets to experience what the seasons are like.
To far north you are in for snowy days and cold nights and too far south has you
dying of thirst and seeking shade. Here in the Smokey Mountains when the cold recedes
north, the sun warms the skies and flowers materialize as if by magic overnight.
Bradford pears, Red Buds, Dogwoods and Cherry trees, to name a few, are buzzing
with blossoms in every yard and every garden center. Being from the south, I
love the warm weather, honey bees and growing anything that can be put on
display in the yard. I love going to the zoo and aquariums and seeing the
spectacles they fashion in one spring that takes most of us years to create. Huge
bamboo, elephant ears and tropical plant life that no one can identify are just
a few of the creations I try to duplicate. Mix in some remarkable animals that
seem to know more about the foliage than the people who put it there and you
have an incredible afternoon of discovery.
Living in the mountains, I have learned the phrase “cold hardy”, which refers to a class of plants that can thrive in climate zones that experience spells of freezing weather and to not waste my money or time on plants that are not cold hardy, unless you plan to bring it into a controlled climate before the inevitable cold nights return in fall. Still, some cold hardy plants will have you burying plants in a foot or more of mulch that ultimately ends with an unfortunate doom by the time the ground warms.
I know spring is here when I wake up and the house is warmer than cold and the sun is shining in. My first spring walk through the yard and the plants tell you their upcoming story. Bamboo is one of my favorite, but very sneaky. I have to solve the mystery of where. With sprouts shooting out like cruise missiles ready to blast off, the rhizomes can grow over four feet in the winter underground and get through anything. You think it’s in your control until you find yourself with a shovel six feet away from its bed trying to dig up its escape routes. You know it’s time to get to Home Depot and Lowe’s to see what the latest tropical’s, fruit plants and vegetables are out that could be this year’s favorite and look amazing in your yard. Whether it’s buying tools or plants there is always something to get excited about when you are browsing the isles. Like walking into a restaurant, the garden center has a smell that is familiar to spring. The real gardener even enjoys the smell of warm dirt and the way it feels in their hands when planting their assortment of bulbs early spring.
For many of us in the Smokey Mountains, spring is when the year officially starts. March madness isn’t just for basketball and getting an early start in the yard is twice as important as getting gifts for the holidays. Waiting to late or missing out on the best plants or the hottest items means everyday of the year will end up with you in the yard wishing you didn’t miss Earth’s greatest gift. The gift of spring and the sun’s warm welcome shining it in. Good luck and good gardening.
Living in the mountains, I have learned the phrase “cold hardy”, which refers to a class of plants that can thrive in climate zones that experience spells of freezing weather and to not waste my money or time on plants that are not cold hardy, unless you plan to bring it into a controlled climate before the inevitable cold nights return in fall. Still, some cold hardy plants will have you burying plants in a foot or more of mulch that ultimately ends with an unfortunate doom by the time the ground warms.
I know spring is here when I wake up and the house is warmer than cold and the sun is shining in. My first spring walk through the yard and the plants tell you their upcoming story. Bamboo is one of my favorite, but very sneaky. I have to solve the mystery of where. With sprouts shooting out like cruise missiles ready to blast off, the rhizomes can grow over four feet in the winter underground and get through anything. You think it’s in your control until you find yourself with a shovel six feet away from its bed trying to dig up its escape routes. You know it’s time to get to Home Depot and Lowe’s to see what the latest tropical’s, fruit plants and vegetables are out that could be this year’s favorite and look amazing in your yard. Whether it’s buying tools or plants there is always something to get excited about when you are browsing the isles. Like walking into a restaurant, the garden center has a smell that is familiar to spring. The real gardener even enjoys the smell of warm dirt and the way it feels in their hands when planting their assortment of bulbs early spring.
For many of us in the Smokey Mountains, spring is when the year officially starts. March madness isn’t just for basketball and getting an early start in the yard is twice as important as getting gifts for the holidays. Waiting to late or missing out on the best plants or the hottest items means everyday of the year will end up with you in the yard wishing you didn’t miss Earth’s greatest gift. The gift of spring and the sun’s warm welcome shining it in. Good luck and good gardening.