“The wonder is that we can see these trees and not wonder more.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Spring can never come too early. Finally it’s here. 
You heave a sigh of relief that the end of the cold weather is in sight. You envision the pastels and bright colors of spring bulbs and flowers in bloom. You smell the freshness of the air and fragrance of plantings.
As a gardener, I’m chomping at the bit to get my hands in the soil, to feel the moist dirt, and to be on all 4s with my face close to the ground looking for any emerging seedlings.
This year, why not pull out all the bells and whistles and give this new season the attention it deserves. Shake it up and do something out of the ordinary. Fun-filled and creative.
1. Be in nature.
Go out and revel. Hike along a nature trail, climb a mountain, stroll along the beach, bike, go horseback riding, or spend the day in a local park.
An early morning or evening walk will add beauty to your day. You have a jam packed schedule? No problem. During a lunch break go outside and listen to the orchestra of spring tuning up.
Connecting with nature is a wonderful way of stimulating your creativity, reflecting, and getting perspective on what really matters in life.
Did you know that:
Beethoven composed much of his works while strolling about in nature.
Darwin’s theory of evolution was greatly influenced by the many hours he spent observing the flora and fauna in his own garden.
Leonardo da Vinci never had any formal schooling or training – he claimed he learned everything he knew about life, design, structure, and art simply by observing nature.
Winston Churchill often sat for hours observing his beloved garden, searching for inspiration and solace during some of his most challenging times in office.
2. Bring bursts of color, smells, and textures of nature indoors.
Arrange fresh cut flowers in vases and bowls. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. There are great buys at grocery stores and farmers markets.
Scent your home with lavender. The herb’s soothing fragrance subtly perfumes the air and its purple flowers are romantic.
3. Plan a family picnic dinner.
Even if it’s too cold to eat outdoors, set up a blanket on the living room floor.
Cook picnic-like food and prepare decorations for your celebration…with the entire family.
4. Splash in a puddle.
This may be one of the most fun ways to celebrate spring. Doing it will free your spirit and make you feel childlike again….which is a good thing. Never tried it? What are you waiting for?
5. Spring clean your closets.
Give away all clothes that you haven’t worn in a year.
Now is the perfect time to pack away heavy woolens in favor of pretty blouses, and replace those old wire hangers with cushioned or wooden ones.
Organize clothing by color and then sort by type (tops, pants, dresses) within each color category to help you find your favorites with ease.
6. Create an herb garden.
There’s nothing like seeing that first new growth poke out of the earth to signal that spring here.
You can recreate that feeling even if the ground is still frozen by planting an indoor herb garden and watching it grow. Buy small containers of rosemary, basil, thyme, and other favorite herbs and put them in a kitchen window. When the ground thaws, transplant your little garden outdoors.
7. Host a delicious spring lunch.
Prepare a menu that concentrates on warmer-weather food like cold fish or chicken, pasta, and green salads. A can’t go wrong dessert is luscious ice cream (have you ever tried making lavender ice cream), gelato, or custard garnished with fresh, scrumptious fruits.
8. Germinate vegetable seeds.
If you’re a novice, start with tomatoes, zucchini, and cucumbers. All you need is a sunny window, seed starting mix, and some clean containers with drainage in the bottom (yogurt and cut down milk containers with small holes punched in the bottom will do the trick).
9. Plan and plant (if weather allows) your garden.
Visit your local nursery and read online catalogues to get inspiration for this year’s garden.
Even if you live in an urban apt. with no outdoor living space, you can have a windowsill garden. I have a friend who has created a drop dead table top succulent garden in her apt. No natural light? Buy grow lights that mimic natural light.
10. Clean bird baths and feeders.
Spring is northern migration time for the birds.
Soon they’ll be back in your yard looking for food and lodging. Make sure your birdhouses, bird feeders, and bird baths are in top-top condition now before the height of springtime bird travel season.
Three last thoughts…
Pause several times throughout your day to breathe in the glory of spring.
Spring garden clean up is waiting for you as soon as the weather permits.
For all of you NCAA fans, March Madness is the harbinger of spring.
Now it’s your turn. How do you celebrate spring? Are you planning something special for this year?
Hi Fran,
I love Spring and miss everything you mention. In AZ Spring is not the same. I’ve been looking for lavender everywhere to fill some pots and I can only find Spanish lavender and it’s not the same. I’m going to order the type I want online. There is also a Lavender Festival about three hours away in June. I’m going!
I used to have two acres of flowers when my girls were young. It was a lot of work but I loved it. The smell of dirt…ahhh. Life is good.
Tess…One of my dearest friends who lived his entire life in NYC/NJ area, moved to Arizona full time 4 years ago and loves it. When I visit, I appreciate the stark beauty. It is awesome. But there is nothing like spring in the mid-west and east. As I’m writing, I can smell and see it now. And the work with 2 acres? A lot for sure. But there are ways of minimizing it. If you don’t want to wait until June, you can find some good places on line to order from.Fran
Fran,
Where would you suggest I order from? My pots are begging to be filled. We’ll meet when you come to AZ next time.
Tess…I love High Country Gardens, http://www.highcountrygardens.com.
David Salman only sells top quality plant material is on the cutting edge of new introductions.
BUT he is not cheap. So my suggestion is this. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, check what’s being sold locally and try to find a place that sells plant material cheap. Big box stores are not always the place to go.
The other option is to google in: Wholesale Arizona nurseries and see what they offer. I’d be curious to hear what their prices are.
Let me know what you come up with. If you need more help, drop me a line at my personal e-mail 🙂 Fran
Hi Fran,
I live in Colima, Mexico, and we are doing a ceremony combining Nahautl traditions to welcome spring and singing to the ocean. We’ll participate in a temascal (sweat lodge) to ask for the flowering of spiritual life. We’ll sing to the ocean, to raise the vibration of the water. There’s growing scientific evidence that singing to water helps cleanse it of impurities.
All the flowers are blooming here. It’s warm and luscious all year round, but you can feel a gentle, hopeful energy in the air right now.
Wishing everyone a joyful day! Join us in singing to water!
Mary Carol
Mary Carol….
How magnificent that you practice rituals that welcome spring. I love the singing to the ocean. And believe it or not, I just got off the phone with a dear friend of mine. We were talking about her visit to a retreat where there are sweat lodges. Synchronicity, eh? I love that you’re participating in one to ask for the flowering of spiritual life. I am aware of the studies about the vibration of water, the emotional impact of our feelings on it, etc. That singing to water helps cleans of it impurities doesn’t surprise me.
It sounds like where you live in Mexico is divine. Have a magnificent day….and thanks for your inspirational post. 🙂 Fran
Hi Fran,
Spring is my favorite month as well. It feels so refreshing after a long winter. I love this line – “listen to the orchestra of spring tuning up” – beautiful. My back yard is mainly large pots that I need to fill, but I do have fun every year trying to make the arrangements even more interesting. I love your suggestions to get out and enjoy life and this is the season to do it.
Cathy..
I remember you mentioning your garden in an earlier post. Containers can be great fun. You can keep on changing them throughout the year. I hope you’e enjoying some good weather on the first day of spring. Have a beautiful one. 🙂 Fran
The first sign of spring in the mountains is the emergence of the blue/purple pasque flower. Although the snow is melting, I haven’t seen a pasque yet. Whenever we go out for our walks, we’re always looking for them.
I remember having a lush vegetable garden when I lived in Boston. It’s definitely a challenge growing anything in the granite soil here in Colorado at an altitude of 8500 ft. – dry, very sunny, poor soil and a very short growing season. Challenging but not impossible. I’m learning from a group of local growers. Greenhouses are key.
I love your fun ideas for welcoming in the season. We’ll definitely be doing a few of these. My 2 year old re-introduced me to splashing in puddles last year. Love it!
Paige….
The spring wildflowers in your part of the country are breathtaking. I know that gardening is a challenge for the rest of the year. There is a phenomenally talented couple (garden designers), Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer Ogden who have written a book ‘The Plant Driven Design’. It showcases how they’ve planted their gardens in Colorado and Texas. It’s a beauty.
It’s smart of you to learn from growers. They are the best teachers. Also, the natural landscape will tell you what works and doesn’t. Observing is a great teacher.
Going from Boston to Colorado gardening wise isn’t easy.But as you know, there are always trade offs. Your life in Colorado offers you such awesome, spacious beauty (which I know you appreciate). 🙂 Fran
I love spring so much so this is a great post for me! I try to do all the things you’ve listed here. It really creates inspiration for me. Being in my vegetable and flower gardens rejuvenate me. Actually anytime I need inspiration I head outside.
Great post Fran!!
Betsy…
I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who doesn’t like spring. It is the most exciting of all seasons for me. Being in nature is one of the best ways of clearing your head, reflecting, relaxing, being…and feeling inspired. Have you jumped any puddles yet? 🙂 Fran
Hi Fran,
I love spring because it’s the end of winter my least favorite season and the begin of what I love which is sun and heat.
Every year in April I buy flowers for my patio. When I use to have a house with a garden I use to grow string beans, red and green papers, lettuce, parsley, zucchinis and more. I love to keep a garden, it the kind of work that doesn’t feel like work.
Thank you for welcome this enchanting season, which is spring!
Sylviane…
Gee, you’re exactly the kind of gardener I love hanging out with…..feeling that working in the garden is not work at all. I have also gone from having a property to create a veggie garden to now living in the city with a rooftop. As you know, it’s a very different type of gardening but can still be exciting. 🙂 Fran
I LOVE Spring!!!!!!!!!!! Reading your post makes me smile and lifts my wings. I have fresh cut daffodils inside in a vase and beautiful hyacinth outside – when the windows are open it smells amazing!
Your post is true celebration of Spring
Aileen…I love all spring bulbs but hyacinths never cease to amaze me. The fragrance of the large ones are like an aphrodisiac. Having fresh cut daffodils is a sure sign of spring. And I’ve always loved it the week before Easter when all of the garden centers (on the east coast) have potted tulips, hyacinths, and lilies to celebrate. As I write you now, I’m listening to the birds chirping….happy spring 🙂 Fran
You are truly a woman after my own heart. I am an artist who hopes to inspire others to live with creativity (in any form). Your post on spring is perfect timing since here in Michigan we have just had 9 days of record breaking temps (high 80’s). I worked in the garden, taken long nature walks, cleaned the bird feeders and cleaned out my closet (changing from winter to spring wardrobe). Love your site and definitely be back. Perhaps we can link our blogs – my readers would enjoy your posts.
Jane….I knew that the East coast was having warm weather. But Michigan in the 80s for 9 days. That must be a record. It sounds like you know the simple pleasures of welcoming this holiday of birth. Thanks for your kind words. Will get on your site and check it out. 🙂 Fran
These are great ways to celebrate LIFE!
Loved reading this, Fran. I love the renewal and growth Spring represents. All the flowers are blooming. Leaves are coming back to emptied branches from Fall. And I’m always reminded that we can always start fresh again and sprout new habits as well.
And then the Spring/Easter break just adds to the joy.
Ken…
Spring is the time for renewal. Although it has always been my favorite season, fall is coming in at a close 2nd. On the East Coast of the U.S., it is breathtaking.
I agree with you about Easter. I love it the day before when pots of daffodils, hyacinths, and lilies are sold on street corners. It is wonderful to celebrate any holiday with flowers 🙂 Fran
Hi Fran:
Great post. My best ideas usually find me when I am hiking or lost in thought outdoors.
I never knew the Leonardo da Vinci had no formal training, but when you are creating at that level, you are tapping into divine/universal energy.
I liked you recommendations, especially splashing in puddles. Very important 🙂
– Wendy
Wendy…
So good to see you here. I think a lot of us forget that being spontaneous and playful is a ‘happiness’ igniter. I agree with you 100%….being in nature infuses my soul with calm and quiet. So much of the active/busy energy drains away and leaves space for the birth of new ideas….:) Fran