Department of Subtle Pleasures: The Catkins and Cones of Early Spring

Catkins and cones are the blooms of trees and shrubs whose flowers are sorted in a binary fashion—male and female. They are the quiet pleasure of those who notice botanical details, and they reward close attention. Many catkins and cones appear weeks, even months, before the loud shouts of forsythia, the effusion of cherry blossom, […]