Asparagus in Bloom

It's Springtime here in north central Alabama. Just the past couple of days the privet and honeysuckle have opened their blossoms, and the air is fragrant with their perfume. The blackberries are blooming all over the place, extending this rather cool and long "Blackberry Winter." All of the narcissus and tulips long ago bloomed and died back. Except for one bush, my peonies, after a blaze of glory, have dropped their petals and are now turning their energies to developing fat seed pods.

We have a small asparagus patch up behind the house which we are trying to extend. Every spring we take a small handful of the first sprouts to enjoy with a first, spring salad or meal. Then we leave the rest to grow into a tiny, ferny forest, bloom, and set their fruit. We hope that they will drop their seeds and make our little patch larger. Asparagus in bloom looks rather uninteresting and mundane, even with it's pretty, ferny texture. However, if you get close, you can see the myriad of tiny, pale green bell-shaped flowers covering the plant. They are so delicate and unassuming in their beauty and elegance. If I hadn't stopped and gotten close, I would have missed this.