5 Signs Spring Has Finally Arrived on PEI
Okay, I'm just going to be honest with you. Not gonna lie, every year around this time I catch myself with this complicated mix of feelings about spring arriving. On one hand, the island is waking up, the air is changing, and there is genuinely so much to love about this season. On the other hand, I feel myself quietly bracing. Because spring arriving on PEI means the pace of life is about to shift in a big way. For the next eight months we are full tilt into the tourism season, and running businesses on this island means that the slow cozy rhythm of winter gets packed away along with the extra blankets. It's almost like I give myself a little pep talk. A quiet "okay Marsha, here we go."
And yet. Every single year, the island wins me over. The signs of spring start showing up one by one and I find myself softening into it, whether I planned to or not. So here they are, the five signs that tell me spring has truly arrived on PEI, and that it's time to embrace what's ahead.
1. The Gardens of Hope Come Alive
I was out walking the Gardens of Hope this past weekend and honestly it stopped me in my tracks. Little flowers just starting to burst through the soil, that smell of spring completely in the air, you know the one, you can't explain it but you absolutely know it when it hits you. I kept looking up watching for my feathered friends to make their return overhead. Everything is sitting in that gorgeous quiet space right before the summer color completely takes over. There is a stillness out there in April that is hard to describe and even harder to find anywhere else. Anne of Green Gables knew exactly what she was talking about when she fell in love with this island, and honestly on a morning like this I completely understand why she never wanted to leave. If you've only ever visited us in July or August, you are genuinely missing something really special. Come in April. Walk slowly. You'll understand.
2. The Vesey's Seeds Catalogue Arrives and I Am Gone
The second that catalogue lands in my hands I am done for, in the best possible way. And honestly, this one runs a little deeper than just gardening for me. Vesey's is in my blood. My great Uncle Arthur was the founder, and my Dad spent over 40 years working there. I grew up with that catalogue on the kitchen table and vegetables on our plates that most kids have probably never even heard of. Dad oversaw the trial garden department, which meant we were always among the first to try new varieties. Fresh vegetables were just part of how we lived and I didn't fully appreciate how special that was until I was older. So when that catalogue arrives every spring it's not just about planning what to grow in our vegetable garden at home or here at the Gardens of Hope. It's a little bit of nostalgia, a little bit of gratitude, and a whole lot of love folded into every page. I could spend hours in that world and I always do.
3. My Visits to VK Gardens Begin
This one is a whole separate kind of joy. VK Gardens is where I go to select all the plants for the planters and flower beds throughout the Gardens of Hope. It is part of how I get the gardens ready to welcome visitors each season and I look forward to it every single year. This year I am particularly excited because we are planning to plant some trees to commemorate some very special occasions. I am not ready to share all the details just yet but trust me, you are going to want to stay tuned on this one. It is going to be meaningful in the most beautiful way.
4. The Walks Get Longer and So Does My Gratitude
Something shifts in me when the urge to get outside comes back. Beach walks, nature trails, that crisp breeze where you still absolutely need to dress like it's a winter day, and honestly that's half the fun. There is a particular quiet on PEI in April that I never take for granted, right before the season picks up and life gets beautifully full again. These walks are grounding for me in a way that nothing else quite matches. And Coach, my baby girl, is absolutely beside herself with joy. She has been held captive by the cold all winter and she is ready. Watching her out there is honestly its own kind of reset.
5. Matcha on the Deck Makes Its Glorious Return
This is the one I wait for all winter long. The morning my matcha moves outside is a genuine celebration in this house. I wrap myself up in my MacCausland woolen blanket, settle into my spot on the deck overlooking the water, and just inhale. The fresh air, the quiet, the stillness of early morning before the day gets going. In those moments I feel this deep wave of gratitude for what's ahead, for the season, for the businesses, for this island, for this life we've built here. Winter is cozy and I love it but it simply cannot compete with that feeling. Not even close.
And Just Like That, Here We Go
So there you have it. The flowers are pushing through, the Vesey's catalogue is dog-eared, VK Gardens is on the agenda, the walks are getting longer, and the matcha is back on the deck. Spring has arrived on PEI and honestly, even with that quiet brace-for-impact feeling I get every single year, I wouldn't trade this life for anything. There is something really humbling about being part of an island that draws people from all over the world and knowing that we get to be a small part of their experience here. The next eight months are going to be full and fast and wonderful. I'm inhaling the quiet while I still can, woolen blanket and all, and getting ready to welcome whatever comes next. See you out there, friends.
P.S. Brunch for Wishes — May 30th
Something close to my heart before you go. On May 30th we are hosting Brunch for Wishes right here at the Preserve Company, a curated morning of seasonal food, live music, storytelling, and a silent auction, all to help make a local child's wish come true through the Make a Wish Foundation.
Tickets are $150 and there are so many ways to be part of it. Come for yourself, treat your team, surprise a friend, or with Mother's Day right around the corner, give Mom the most meaningful gift and bring her along. You can also sponsor a wish family and gift them tickets to attend.
Every seat at this table makes a difference. We would love to see you there.
Lots of love,
Marsha
