Pink, Pink Sunshine


The dank, grey miserable weather the past few days has removed my New Year's optimism and sent me into my usual January Slough of Despond. So it was a rather nice surprise - even if in truth I'd completely forgotten, despite marking it up on the calendar in the kitchen to remind me - to find Threadspider on the doorstep yesterday morning ready to whisk me away to our local garden centre for a look round, a cup of coffee and a good old chinwag :)

It's at these times you really get to appreciate your friends. Threadspider loves the newness and endless possibilities of January with an infectious enthusiasm. She insisted we visit the Hamamelis on display to give them a cheering sniff. The day's drizzle may have drained their spicy scent away, but at least the rain I got up my nose in a vain attempt to obtain any last vestige of perfume meant my grumpiness changed into fits of giggles.

Then yesterday evening I realised to my surprise that what these desperate times really needs - even if they're usually not to my taste - is the loudest, brightest, most Barbie coloured Hyacinths to knock me off their feet with their scent, courtesy of my niece and nephew's Christmas present .

Thank you L and E for bringing me lots of pink sunshine, just when I need it :D

Comments

  1. Lu14 January 2011 at 09:44

    My Christmas cactus is just emerging into bright magenta - I agree, just what you need. Looking forward to some sunshine as soon as possible!

    ReplyDelete
  2. VP14 January 2011 at 10:51

    Lu - even NAH has commented on them and the scent - in a positive way :o

    ReplyDelete
  3. Threadspider14 January 2011 at 12:51

    Glad to have shared something pleasantly infectious!
    I have white sunshine courtesy of Morrisons on my windowsill.I thought the scent would be a little less overwhelming than the blue ones :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. The bike shed14 January 2011 at 13:05

    Well we don't want you in a slough of despond, though I know what you mean about the weather.

    We are soon to be at the planting stage, and riased beds about to go in... Problem is I keep recording the birds and not thinking about the plants.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous14 January 2011 at 13:22

    Thanks, VP and Threadspider, (hooray!), for taking us along for that much needed jolt of pure happiness that only garden plants can bring us! Barbie Pink is most welcome right now. I hope to find some hyacinths locally for a whiff of wonderful! :-)
    xxoo
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  6. petoskystone14 January 2011 at 15:14

    yea for barbie hyacinths! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Janet/Plantaliscious14 January 2011 at 15:24

    Sometimes you just need a bit of plant bling to cheer you up!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax!14 January 2011 at 15:50

    It's a sort of blogging calendar. Christmas, New Year, your niece and nephew and their hyacinths and I post silhouettes of blackthorn.

    Reassuring rotation of seasons.

    Lucy

    p.s. Hyacinths do not move me but snowdrops make me sing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mr. McGregor's Daughter14 January 2011 at 17:32

    Thanks for posting that, it's so cheery. Now is when we most need those potted bulbs. Unfortunately, mine are still in the garage, where I can't get to them. I need to ask someone to bring in a couple of pots for me.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Phoenix C.14 January 2011 at 17:34

    I'll have to try rain up my nose if I'm feeling down! The mild weather has really exhilarated me, and my nose is quivering delightedly at all the earthy leafy scents. And a hyacinth of the most overpoweringly perfumed variety would complete this bliss - on my list for tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Carrie15 January 2011 at 06:26

    I have been thinking about this over the past few weeks. I buy beautiful flowers from a local florist from spring on until nov and then stop - i feel too dreary. Then i realised that is exactly the time when i need a little bunch all the more - there aren't any in the gardn or lottie and I am sure they will cheer me up x

    ReplyDelete
  12. Robert Webber15 January 2011 at 20:08

    The scent of Hyacinths, although a favourite with me, is not exactly happy and I think the almost mournful nature of the scent is heightened when they are blue and purple!
    That bubble gum pink is what cheered you up.
    Hope stay happy - we are over half way through Jan!
    Best
    R

    ReplyDelete
  13. VP16 January 2011 at 18:45

    TS - white sunshine duly posted about on the 15th!

    Mark - ha ha - it's very easy to get sidetracked isn't it? Especially in a new garden.

    Frances - hooray indeed :)

    Petoskystone - I've surprised myself about how positive I've been about pink!

    Janet - absolutely

    Lucy - that's the great thing about gardeneing. It keeps you in touch with the natural rhythm of the year. So nice of you to remember my last post about hyacinths and that they were from my niece and nephew.

    MMD - I have another potful which needs to be unearthed from the utility room!

    Phoenix C - I hope you were succesful in your quest

    Carrie - they most certainly will cheer you up. Daffodils are my only bought flowers. I consider them to be a necessity at this time of the year

    Robert - you've sparked an interesting train of thought in my brain. I wonder if we have the need for different colours depending on the state of our well being. I remember last summer how I was drawn to calming white, then red became the colour of autumn. I'm wondering whether my unusual craving for bright pink is a reflection of my reaction to the gloominess of the season. Must go and do some research...

    ReplyDelete

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