Photo by Meda Kessler
It’s been a Dickensian time for our landscape: It has seen the worst of times — the icepocalypse this past winter — and the best of times — a warm and rainy spring. For sure, we are still in mourning over the loss of some old-growth agaves, rosemary bushes and a couple of loquats. But we admire the fortitude of the irises, which have been putting on a show of late, the now-thriving rosebushes and even some bougainvillea we stashed in the garage during the cold months. We’re also impressed by the color of the Japanese maples we see on our daily walk. While some choose to put on a show in the fall, there are varieties that prefer to dazzle in the spring. After staring at our withered cactus, willing it to come back from the dead, we welcome this impressive spectacle put on by Mother Nature.