The welcome arrival of spring raises pressing questions about how to adapt amidst the ongoing turmoil of climate change. Daryln Brewer Hoffstot, a freelance writer residing on a Pennsylvania farm, reflects on her experiences as the silent season recedes, replaced by melodies of returning songbirds like the red-winged blackbird. After a winter characterized by sparse wildlife sounds, she welcomes the subtle signs of spring as snowdrops push through the remnants of winter.
With the vegetable garden reduced to icy mud and flower beds still wrapped in protective layers, Hoffstot describes efforts to coax last fall's tulip and hyacinth pots into bloom while battling wildlife challenges. Deer persistently breach her barriers, nibbling on cherished plants like yew and holly, while an absence of chipmunks and other wildlife amid the lingering cold hints at a harsh winter's grasp.
Once dreaming of a greenhouse to extend her gardening possibilities, Hoffstot now longs for winter's quietude, yearning for calm moments by the fire while flipping through garden catalogs. Inspired by Vita Sackville-West's poem “The Garden,” she grapples with the realities of what is attainable as she reflects on the previous year's gardening trials. Ultimately, she questions how to meaningfully adapt and find hope in the face of ongoing environmental shifts that threaten the delicate balance of life in her garden.
