In Bloom

I recently received a hyacinth as a gift and as it has started to bloom and perfume my bedroom, I've grown more excited for the arrival of spring. City spring is a different animal than where I grew up. Here, flowers sprout in sidewalk cracks and bloom in controlled environments. The signs of spring are in the air and the changes in dress. When I think about the new season, I'm immediately transported to my own backyard. My mother's garden is a haven - always lush and green, with tens of different kinds of flowers, vegetables, and other foliage living wildly together. There is no comparable place in New York, yet as the temperature rises and we all move outdoors, spring in the city can evoke the same feeling of euphoria, of flowers drunk with fragrance and color.