spring flowers

this past saturday was by far the most beautiful day we've had in weeks. sunny, bright, and reaching nearly 60 degrees, i was pretty sure that we'd broken through that icy, grey barrier and that spring was finally here. then, in typical new york city / mother nature fashion, we've ricocheted far back into the opposite direction with sub-zero wind chill and snowfall.

no matter though, because while out and about on saturday i noticed these sweet crocus flowers blooming up in my front yard. bright, cheeky-faced harbingers of spring, the crocus is unassuming in stature (usually just a bloom with small, blade-like leaves) but surprisingly hardy and can survive through the lingering frosts and snows of early spring. most gardeners recommend planting them en masse in clumps of 100-150 for a dramatic effect, but i love seeing them pop up alone, as a brief reminder that warmer weather is on its way.

the crocus is a perennial flowering plant native to areas in europe, north africa and the middle east, and across central asia to western china. botanically, the 80 or so known species of crocus are placed in the iris family and can be found in a wide range of habitats, from woodland to scrub to meadows (and brooklyn gardens in between!).

here are some of my favorite shots on flickr:
• ode to spring flowers makes my heart flutter
• this is why i like crocus planted sparsely
• crocus to the sky!
• tiger likes them, too.