the spring ambush

by Sharon Santoni

tulips and raununculas, spring is on its way!

If you read this blog now and again, you will know about my addiction to flowers.  At this time of year, when the garden is putting on a beautiful show of snowdrops but little else, I have to check into my local florists now and again, just to get my fix!

tulips and raununculas, spring is on its way!

Today she ambushed me!   I had planned a quick stop to pick up a bunch of tulips for my desk, but that was not to be.

tulips and raununculas, spring is on its way!

The florists store was filled with the wonderful perfume of broom, and in a zinc bucket in the middle of the store were the most divine nude raununculas

tulips and raununculas, spring is on its way!

These led me to some nude roses, and then of course I had to get that broom, by which time I was so intoxicated by all the beauty that I also gave in to a bunch of pink parrot tulips.

tulips and raununculas, spring is on its way!

When I got home, my husband took one glance at the armful of spring that I carried in from the car, and simply said “incorrigible”.

I shrugged my shoulders,   I think he gets off lightly ….  after all, it could be worse ….

tulips and raununculas, spring is on its way!

….it could be diamond rings!

tulips and raununculas, spring is on its way!

42 comments

Colleen Taylor February 25, 2015 - 3:25 pm

All of your flowers and arrangements are so glorious but this bunch of beauties makes me swoon! Those soft lovely colors and the depth of these petals are breathtaking. Thank you for this most welcome beginning of my day Sharon! X

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Tara February 25, 2015 - 3:29 pm

Thank you, thank you, thank you from fridged New England where there are several feet of snow in our yard, and Spring feels like a hopeless fantasy. Your lovely pictures have given me hope!

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Jeanne McKay Hartmann February 25, 2015 - 3:36 pm

I’d take flowers over diamonds any day, Sharon! So glad you stopped at the florist, these are gorgeous. We’ve got daffodils, grape hyacinth, camellias and magnolias here… spring came about a month early. Makes me feel liked I peeked at my Christmas presents early, but it’s so lovely. Enjoy your flowers! XOXO

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Kathy in Memphis February 25, 2015 - 3:39 pm

Love all the pink! Lifts my spirits during these dreary winter days.

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Sunny Bridge February 25, 2015 - 4:08 pm

Love, love, love your photographs absolutely every post. I’ve taken some pretty good photos for my own blog–especially while in France, which is so incredibly photogenic–but I only aspire to take photos that equal the beauty of yours. Thanks for sharing your talent and heart!

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Jeri February 25, 2015 - 4:09 pm

Oh, how I want to go out and do the same thing! All I have to look out doors at, is the snow!

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Florence Brown February 25, 2015 - 4:10 pm

Beautiful photos. Can’t wait for Spring. Instead of a yacht or airplane, I would like someone to give me flowers every week for the rest of my life.

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Barbara Warren February 25, 2015 - 4:17 pm

Lovely and inspiring!

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Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon February 25, 2015 - 4:21 pm

So beautiful.

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flo February 25, 2015 - 4:32 pm

I am in LOVE with your photos and your subject matter. Celebrating flowers with you today. My tulips are dancing this way and that. In the Northeast US! Love to you.

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Madeline Margraves February 25, 2015 - 4:35 pm

What are the lovely pink blooms on your tree in your spring blog picture? Gone is the snow I hope. My Parsley tree is about to burst with flowers. Will send picture when it happens. When we were touring Monet’s water garden, I noticed a huge “parsley” tree. I bet the flowers will be spectacular.

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Barbara Powell February 25, 2015 - 4:35 pm

Dear Sharon ~ you remind me of myself this time of the year!! Weekly I simply must visit the florist and I seem to go in with simplicity in mind and walk out with an arm full as you have here!!!!! Flowers are so intoxicating any time of the year but, most especially now when we have frozen waterways and snow everywhere. They are the beauty that brings us light and show us that Spring indeed is on it’s way!!!!!!

As always, thank you for your writings and of course your gorgeous photos!!!!!!
Warm wishes your way!! ️xx
Barbara

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Tracey February 25, 2015 - 4:46 pm

Just wondering if all those beautiful flowers are grown in France or even better still, locally?

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Sharon Santoni February 25, 2015 - 5:30 pm

It’s funny you ask Tracey, because so did I! The raununculas are French, the tulips I think were Dutch. I’m sure she said the roses were French too, but I don’t know that would be possible at that time of year, so maybe I misheard

xx

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Sandra February 25, 2015 - 4:47 pm

Sharon:
Just absolutely beautiful!!! What a treat for me this morning as here in West Virginia it is in the upper 20’s and the snow if frozen so hard that my husband can walk on top of it. It will be a while before we seen blooms, although our snow drops are starting up along with the daffodils.

Thanks Sharon, I so enjoy your beautiful work. Food for my soul!
Sandra

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Linda Rowe February 25, 2015 - 4:57 pm

When I look outside, all I see is snow. Your beautiful flowers are a reminder for me to buy some tulips today.

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Marlene Stephenson February 25, 2015 - 5:17 pm

I am so ready for spring and your bouquets are gorgeous. I can smell them from her in Okla. well okay maybe not but,i can dream.

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Barb February 25, 2015 - 5:27 pm

I need, not just want, a flower budget

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Joanne C February 25, 2015 - 6:04 pm

I so love the white rose ! I see tenderness, peace, beauty when I look at these flowers.

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Emm February 25, 2015 - 7:18 pm

Simply beautiful pictures, thank you.

Are the small white stems the broom? I always thought that was a yellow flower, but perhaps there are other varieties.

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Sharon Santoni February 25, 2015 - 10:26 pm

I think that yellow is the most common colour for broom, and the colour when it grows in the wild, but in my garden I have white and pale pink growing in the summer months. The perfume is wonderful!

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Eileen February 25, 2015 - 7:46 pm

I’d settle for a crocus or two! It hasn’t got above freezing all month in Toronto. Meanwhile, in Brisbane my friend basks in 28 degree weather and from France your flowers are simply inspirational. Thanks for lifting my spirits and reminding me it’s not forever.

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www.ourfrenchoasis.com February 25, 2015 - 9:05 pm

You are so right, it could be diamonds or shoes, handbags, clothes, but flowers – flowers are so beautiful and you are such a pro at arranging them perfectly that I can imagine the house must look gorgeous. I cannot wait to start cutting a few things in the garden, the daffodil buds are actually yellow now so are literally only a few days away if only the sun would shine and then lots of blossom should follow.

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Danielle Eilender February 25, 2015 - 9:11 pm

Beautiful! When I was child in France my father grew hundred of tulips every spring. As we planted or gathered the bulbs every year so that they would not degenerate, I vowed that as a grown-up I would never have tulips. Too much work… Now, in Texas, how I wish that I could gather beautiful bouquets of tulips!

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Karen February 25, 2015 - 9:14 pm

Love this post. So romantic! The colors are wonderful. Just wondering what broom is? Is it a shrub? The only one that I can find on the Internet, is yellow, or red and yellow. Can’t see any white ones like the ones in your bouquet. Hope I can grow them in zone 5. Love your blog!
Snowing here right now. No, I’m ready for spring!

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Eileen February 25, 2015 - 10:27 pm

Thankyou Sharon, this particular post made me laugh out loud. Incorrigible! what a great word. And good for you. Flowers are better than diamonds any day. Enjoy them.

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Eileen February 25, 2015 - 10:30 pm

Thankyou Sharon. This particular post of yours made me laugh out loud. Incorrigible! what a great word. Flowers are better than diamonds any day. Your husband will enjoy them because they make you happy.

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Marie Geue February 25, 2015 - 10:35 pm

Gorgeous soft petals saying ‘hello’ in pink and white…love them, reminds me of cream cakes decadently decorated. My thoughts so often drift to food, I remember decades ago I had to choose between a pink and white dinner set or an eternity ring…I chose the dinner set which I still have, all intact 35 years later. Isn’t that what life is all about: choices. Marie, Australia

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Joanne February 26, 2015 - 12:38 am

Karen, we have broom here in Canada on the west coast. It has lovely yellow flowers to brighten up the landscape. Sadly, it is an invasive plant. Volunteers go out to cut it down and burn it. I’m not sure if it the same as the white flowering broom in France.

Sharon, your flowers are gorgeous! I buy tulips and/or lilies from our local store but those….those are to die for. Flowers really do make us happy. I’m smiling just looking at your lovely bouquet.

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Chrysanthemum February 26, 2015 - 2:32 am

I’m choosing bulbs for my tables.. A little touch of spring…. And then I plant them, the bulbs, in my garden in June… bonus… Meanwhile the snow and the cold-15*C is manageable when the sun is shining and the sky is blue….in Ontario, Canada…

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Willene Deason February 26, 2015 - 3:19 am

Its cold & we have a rare snow today, but when I opened your blog post today, there was a taste of Spring. Thank you.

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marci piraro February 26, 2015 - 3:44 am

Flowers feed the soul. Fragrant flowers are divine. Your photo is gorgeous. I have seen and smelled the yellow broom, but not the white. I love rununculas and anemones and lilacs and peonies and violets and forget me nots… I could go on and on. I would rather have flowers than diamonds!

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StitchinSweetSue February 26, 2015 - 4:04 am

hiya sharon, your hubs may like to know that your flower pics have always been notoriously some of the best on the web! thank you for sharing:)

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splendid market February 26, 2015 - 5:11 am

your arrangements are incredible, I’ll bet he is loving every single petal now! Raununculas are one of my all time favorite blooms and that delicate nude colors is just exquisite. Well done.

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Esther George February 26, 2015 - 8:53 am

Hi Sharon it’s funny you mentioned diamonds because whenever the postman delivers a package my husband asks what did you buy “Oh just a pink diamond”. Your bouquet is so beautiful, you have inspired me to try to grow Tulips again last spring it was Parrots, this time I’m thinking Monet. But I don’t think we have broom here. Thank you for sharing beauty. Till next time regards Esther from Sydney.

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Marian from UK February 26, 2015 - 10:00 am

Thank you Sharon for these beautiful photos. The colours give hope at a dreary time of year and what’s really nice is that they don’t look ‘arranged’, rather just gathered together in their natural beauty! Effortless style. It’s dull and rainy here in Wiltshire today so to have a gorgeous bunch of spring blooms burst onto my screen was a real treat! The snowdrops and daffodils are pushing through in their hundreds along the lanes now – a sure sign that spring is truly around the corner.

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Carol Preston February 26, 2015 - 1:16 pm

Love the beautiful flowers that you post…..think maybe that your husband secretly does also:-)

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Susan February 26, 2015 - 4:36 pm

Beautiful flowers! I have a terrible case of Spring fever. I am so excited for the growing season to start here in the US. I live in Michigan and we are still in single digit temperatures and snow covered. But the days are getting longer. It won’t be long before we are picking tulips in the garden again.
Susan

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Karena February 26, 2015 - 5:45 pm

Sharon you are so very talented! These floral arrangements are glorious!!

xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Featuring:Turquerie

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Fay February 26, 2015 - 10:25 pm

Great to be back in Blogland Sharon and to enjoy your exquisite flowers
Fay

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Teje Ellis February 27, 2015 - 5:54 am

The flowers are beyond lovely. Just looking at the photos brings me immense joy. Thank you!

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Brenda Flanigan April 26, 2017 - 12:39 pm

When I see the beautiful roses, it reminds me of the song by Tim Spell “When God unfolds the rose”. I hope you will go to You tube and check it out. Your photos are so soothing to the soul. Thanks for sharing.

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