One lesson that is learned through time is resilience. Tree removal, stump grinding, and soil replacement took place this winter at the spot where our Maple tree succumbed to age and too many droughts. Adjacent to our concrete driveway and next to the Forest Preserve stressed roots as they competed for both deep and surface level waters.
The maple lost its battle this winter. The hardy (Scilla
siberica)‘Spring Beauty pushed through three plus inches of caked dirt, to show its survival in spite of stump grinding and foreign top coating. How comforting it is to see the mud clad strength of this petite bloom.
I’m still, after many years of gardening, amazed at the perennials’ abilities to push past a loose covering of mulch upon awakening. But this Spring Beauty’s resilience is inspiring for anyone who may have not yet dusted off winter’s melancholy.
