Table Rock Mountain view on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Photo by Judith Canty Graves
“Now in April comes the real beginning of the year. Now everything is new, everything is young.”
~ Gladys Taber
By Judith Canty Graves
April is the month when there is a noticeable change around us in our environment. After weeks of subtle changes in our yards and gardens, suddenly spring begins to be visible everywhere, with grass and leaves showing the lovely color of green that we all crave after months of a brown landscape.
During the winter, I begin to notice some plants emerge, especially if the weather is mild. When I remove the dead growth from catnip plants, I look closely and see tiny new shoots at the base of the plant. It is the same way with the autumn sedum; the new growth is there.
In February, the tree buds begin to swell, indicating that their period of dormancy has ended. Tiny white snowdrop flowers bloom close to the ground. Daffodil shoots emerge, standing an inch or two high. These are subtle signs, but look closely and you will see them. While it seems like nothing is changing in the natural world, the reality is that a lot is changing.
All the plants, which began to become active in February, now emerge in a stronger and more noticeable way by March. That’s when early spring flowers like daffodils and crocuses bloom, tree buds begin to open, and some leaves unfurl. Grass begins to grow quickly and turn an amazing shade of bright green. Each day the grass seems taller!
As I look at the mountains around my valley in Western North Carolina, I notice a light green tinge appearing by early April when leaves begin to open. The mountainside, which had been brown and gray since October, now comes alive and changes color. By late April, I can see different shades of green and blue on the mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is an uplifting sight.
For those who grow vegetables, April is the month for cool-weather crops like peas, broccoli and lettuce. These vegetables need cooler weather to grow, so spring and fall are their seasons. Of course, April is also the month when many creatures come out of hibernation, including rabbits, who visit garden beds. To thwart them, I plant marigolds around my vegetable seedlings. I have read that rabbits don’t like the smell of marigolds, and they stay away from my vegetables. I think the marigolds are the reason why!
Ferns also begin to grow in April, showing their curly fiddleheads just inches from the ground. To photograph them, I sit on the ground to be close. I can see how tightly their heads are curled up. Over several days, these heads unfurl and the fern plants rise, spreading their graceful green leaves. I have ferns that love the sun and others that love the shade. They are a welcome addition to the spring garden.
April can be a tricky month everywhere, teasing us with pleasant warm days, then delivering cold winter weather soon after. But each day brings us closer to consistently warm weather and the promise of a green landscape all around us.
Judith Canty Graves is an Asheville gardener with a background in photojournalism. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.
