Crocus is among the season's early bloomers. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
It feels like the entire world has pressed the pause button, initiating a freeze frame while we try to get a grip on the coronavirus.
But Mother Nature, who, as we know, marches to the beat of her own drummer, is moving forward with spring. And life is bursting forth whether these are end times or not.
The earliest spring blooms having begun popping up, cheery signs of hope dotting parkways, yards and parks.
Look for snowdrop, daffodil and crocus, hyacinth and squill, low to the ground, almost bashful or tentative, as if they’re testing the waters for their showier summer cousins.
Grape hyacinth. (Patty Wetli / WTTW) Crocus. (Patty Wetli / WTTW) Snowdrop. (Patty Wetli / WTTW) Crocus. (Patty Wetli / WTTW) Daffodil. (Patty Wetli / WTTW)
We spied quite a few of these harbingers on a recent walk around the neighborhood, but for a more impressive display, check out Lurie Garden, which added 10,000 snowdrop bulbs in 2019, an investment paying dividends at the moment.
If you don’t feel comfortable venturing outdoors, bring nature to your desktop. Take a virtual tour of the Botanic Garden (which closed its grounds as of March 17 through April 30) and follow Lurie Garden on Instagram, where garden staff will be increasing the frequency of posts during the COVID-19 quarantine.
(This article has been updated to reflect the Botanic Garden's decision to completely close.)
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
