Spring Surprise
Scanning every corner of the yard for new tulip shoots on unexpected spots brightens my day...
After a good rain, tulips push up in unexpected places, under the groves, along the sideway, tucked into corners I don’t remember planting. Each spring, they appear randomly across the yard.
Years ago, after repeated raids from rabbits, I dug out most of the bulbs and replaced them with stonecrop. Still, the tulips persist. They travel with shifting soil and quietly resettle, even turning up in the backyard.
Tulips are tough underground. A pea-sized bulblet can stay underground and surface a year or two later. Above ground, they’re vulnerable. Only a handful make it to full bloom; most are taken early, just as they’re about to open.
I was deeply disappointed when my tulip patch was first raided. Now I find joy in discovering new shoots in unexpected places. Even though most don’t make it to full bloom, watching a tiny tip grow into full leaves in less than a month brings a quiet sense of renewal each spring.
