Some friends invited us to see their magnolia tree. The blossoms don't last long and so we hurried round. We were offered coffee and cakes and sat admiring the thick white flowers on the tree. Then our friends said they had discovered a patch of violets and would we like to see it. Violets don't stand out so much until you get close up and then the perfume of the violets was quite intoxicating. I couldn't stop breathing in their light sweetness. The air was quite cold in the shade and it reminded me of a verse by Christina Rossetti.(1830-1894).
'As violets
Recluse and sweet,
Cheerful as daisies
Unaccounted rare
Still sunward gazing
From a lowly seat.
Still sweetening wintry air.'
As we walked round the garden signs of spring were everywhere., and so here is another verse for spring, this time from Shelley,(1792-1822) really lovely, hope you like it.
And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere,
And each flower and herb on earth's dark breast
Rose from the dreams of it's wintry rest,
The snowdrop and then the violet,
Arose from the ground with warm rain wet,
And their breath was mixed with sweet odour sent,
from the turf like the voice and the instrument.
Here are my photos from this lovely Spring afternoon.
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| Magnolia flowers deserve a close up |
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| Daffodils in Italian gardens |
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| These violets gave off the most wonderful heady scent |
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