So much sooner than I am used to. It’s still just early February, and branches are starting to bloom here on the West Coast. In three weeks, when we go back home to Montréal, we will be thrown right back into the pits of winter for another 2 full months, probably 3…

So while I’m here, I might as well enjoy it. It feels strange, like some mysterious force is working against nature, but I suppose that’s just how nature is around here. Everyone else seems to think it’s normal timing for buds and blossoms, so I’ll just go with the flow.

Spring is of course all about bulbs, and I’m known for getting pretty carried away with these little dry, brown clusters.

If you feel a bit intimidated by bulbs in their simplest form (I still do sometimes), take a shortcut and buy the ones that have already been planted for you. Takes a lot of the guesstimating out of the equation. Home improvement centres have them, but you can also easily find them in most grocery stores. I picked up purple crocus for today’s post.

First step is to shake those little bulbs right out of the earth they’re trapped in. Big box stores might want to hide them, but not you, no… So don’t be afraid, just dig them right up, run them under cool water and clean the dirt off. Be gentle and try not to damage the roots too much.

Next fill a container (hopefully more pleasing to the eye than green plastic) with the earth you’ve recuperated from the original pot. I’m partial to putting bulbs in containers that have some height to them, perhaps an old compote? Show them off, even if they only set you back 2.99$. The vase used here is from Ikea (for 6.99$). Can’t beat that. I know everyone love to hate Ikea, but sometime you just need a simple, cheap solution, no? Now just put the bulbs on top of the soil (make a little hole with your pinky to drop the roots in if you need to), and add a bit of soil around each one to make sure they don’t move around. The actual bulb should be mostly uncovered, with just the bottom third buried. The roots are doing the drinking, not the bulb. This way you can admire these amazing little nuggets while they push push push leaves and flowers out. If you want to go over and above, add some green moss to completely hide the soil. OK, so that might prove difficult if you’re on the East Coast, but maybe in a few months? If you’re on the West Coast, you have no excuse, this stuff literally falls off trees here.

My favourite picture. I was aiming higher, but something moved and I ended up with this. Happy accidents. Doesn’t it look like the lichen and the vase are made for each other?

Finish by adding something sweet between the leaves. You know, to pretend this is a bit of the forest floor on your table. May I suggest something like this?

Now enjoy. Don’t forget to water, like I do, unless you enjoy the look of way-past their-prime flowers, like I do.