my happy little courtyard

I know there are gardeners who adore cactus gardens and others who carefully cultivate various foliage plants, mixing in different leaf colors and textures to create lush, green landscapes. But for me, flowers make me happy. Happy in that stupid-grin kind of way. Dumb happy. Doing a little spin happy.

My soul starts to stir with happiness as soon as I see the Indian Hawthorne starting to blossom, forming masses of pink clouds along the side of the streets or in garden plantings.

And who can resist a smile when spying the
sweetness of a pretty yellow ranunculus?

My little courtyard* garden had gotten pretty neglected and the grewia and jasmine were too high for me to trim, so I hired the local nursery to come and trim, clean up and add some color. Happy shots of Easter color. Neon-bright ranunculus ... sweetpeas ready to climb up on their supports ... velvety pansies.

The orchids I already had are truly showing off, with their long stalks filled with flowers the entire length - one a thick-flowered crimson/white, another a delicate, creamy green, a third unknown until the buds open up and proudly show themselves. Freesias in bright golds, red/oranges and purples are scattered throughout the courtyard, many of them volunteers that decided to sign up for this year's show.

It's such a perfect little courtyard for me, a great place to bloom where I am planted, to sit and watch the hummingbirds flit among the grewia's purple blooms or the salvias' cups of nectar.

I'll be having the guys over (my best friends for over 25 years) in a few weeks, and once again, as we have year after year, we'll sit out in the courtyard, laughing and sharing stories together, easily lost in the carefree joy that comes with spring and the delight in living that seems to accompany bursts of colorful flowers.

Happy Spring! Happy Easter!

*I used to call this my patio garden until my friend - sweet, caring Kat - referred to it as a courtyard, a much more romantic and happy term than "patio" and so, it's been a courtyard ever since. Thank you, Kat!