The Color of Leaves

Granted, I’m a fan of the color green. It’s my name, after all.

The emergence of tiny green shoots every spring, even for those of us who’ve seen dozens of springs, still seems miraculous. It’s funny that this should be so for gardeners, who surely know what miracles unfurl beneath the soil’s surface. But I still find myself marveling every March when the first perfect hosta leaves unwrap their pale-green leaf-curls from the chilly earth, gathering spring rains into their vase-shaped foliage.

Two new children’s books pay homage to the signature color of spring, one aptly called “Green,” and the other titled, “A Leaf Can Be…” The latter describes leaves multifarious shapes, purposes, and colors. Leaves aren’t always green, the book points out, and their brilliant colors aren’t only a fall phenomenon. The Halcyon Garden boasts plenty of green in early spring, but you’ll also find purples and silvers, golds and peaches, and in some cases, a little of each on a single leaf. As you’ll see: