HAIL THEE, FESTIVAL DAY
Hail thee, festival day!
blest day to be hallowed forever;
day when our Lord was raised,
breaking the kingdom of death.
It is Easter Sunday, 2021, and time to celebrate new life and the victory of good over evil. After a year plus of death and disruption of COVID, have we ever needed a moment to revel in joy more? Not in my lifetime, at least not since the Second World War. My warmest wish is that you and yours enjoy the day to the utmost as we all celebrate our Lord's resurrection.
We have had a glorious early spring in the south. Here are some views of my garden as seen in the past few days.
Looking from the central lawn into the smaller side of my garden. Mahonia in foreground, Japanese Silver Grass to left, Knockout Rose on right, Burning Bush behind the grass and Lady Banks Rose in bloom.
The Yellow Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksiae 'Lutea') up closer. It seems that every garden wall in Charleston supports two plants, Confederate Jasmine and Lady Banks Rose, and for good reason. I have trained this one as a bush. It does not bloom for long but when it does bloom, it is covered with countless tiny flowers.
Reeves Bridal Wreath (Spiraea cantoniensis 'Reeves'), an old southern favorite. As Lady Banks Rose, Bridal Wreath is covered with small flowers in early spring.
Japanese Kerria "Pleniflora' (Kerria japonica "Pleniflora'), aka the Yellow Rose of Texas. This brightens up a corner of my garden in springtime. Kerria is in the rose family but instead of a single trunk, it spreads easily by rhizomes and one does have to trim the new shoots to keep this plant under control. Fortunately, there is a large space available for this one.
All the fair beauty of earth,
from the death of the winter arising!
Every good gift of the year
now with its Master returns.
(Hail Thee Festival day, 1.)
The last year has been difficult. There is no point in pretending otherwise. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a trying time. Thousands, indeed hundreds of thousands, of people died all around us. And, yet, all around us too we now see energetic new growth in the springtime reminding us of the ultimate victory of life over death. Peace.
