Spring at last! Longer days. More sunshine.  Bluer skies. Flowers and flowering trees. March 20 is the first official day of spring and the vernal equinox. The Almanac provides interesting details about the vernal equinox.

Atlanta has true four seasons. In my first blog post, I vented about Atlanta’s handling of snow, but spring is the season Atlanta does well. There are innumerable flowering trees in the city and surrounding suburbs—cherry, crabapple, redbuds, Bradford pear, dogwood and others—each bearing beautiful blossoms.

The first flowering trees are cherry and crabapple. Small buds appear and gradually increase in size until blossoms pop out. Soon, forsythia’s bright yellow flowers appear then daffodils and Bradford pears. Mixed in are budding oak, cedar, and maple trees. The buds turn to small leaves quickly. By mid-March, the clocks have been turned forward, there are warmer, sunnier days and spring is well entrenched. The foliage softens the hard edges of the landscape, the coldness of the buildings and provides pops of color in unexpected places. We can look forward to the delicate beauty of Japanese cherry blossoms, rich pink magnolias, bright pink and white dogwoods and azaleas in many hues.

While the calendar designates March 20 as the first day of spring, Atlantans know our spring began toward the end of February. As an escapee from the north, I LOVE IT!

BRADFORD PEAR