After an early dinner with neighbors to celebrate Easter, the sun came out and the air warmed up, and the yard was calling our names. My favorite little hawthorn tree, which sits between the garden and our stream and is surrounded by comfrey, always needs a little love this time of year. The wild grapes and Virginia creeper and wild cucumber all love to climb onto the low branches of the hawthorn and quickly engulf the small tree. During the summer, I cut the vines off from the ground, but leave the remaining vine up in the tree to avoid ripping down too many leaves. Each spring, I carefully pull out the dead vines to give the hawthorn a fresh start...a little ahead of this year's vines.
This year, I also pruned two small branches off the tree that were growing cross-wise. The overall shape of the tree is just darling, so I was careful not to go crazy pruning away branches, as it's easy to do once you get the loppers out. Just as if you were painting a portrait, it is very important to take a step back and look at your work while pruning a tree, or you might just go overboard.
While I was out in the yard, I also pruned a few branches off of a forsythia bush because I love to force them into bloom in the house this time of year. I'm trying to force the hawthorn as well, and took a small branch from our apple tree because the blooms are so pretty. Stay posted for a blog about forcing forsythia soon. For now, here's a picture of all the branches sitting in warm water in a sunny window, starting to wake up:
twigs soaking in warm water
In the garden near the hawthorn, the horseradish roots are just starting to sprout. I haven't harvested them in a few years, so this year will definitely be a horseradish year (get out the goggles!).
horseradish sprouts
It's such a wonderful time of year, as everything wakes up to greet the warming sun. Happy Easter/Ostara, everyone!!!
