Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MArCH 6, 2026 Saugus Gardens in the Winter Here’s what’s blooming in town this week to make your walks more enjoyable By Laura Eisener L ast Sunday, March 1, was the first day of meteorological spring. Deep snow has covered the ground since mid-January, but it is finally beginning to disappear, and with warmer temperatures expected this weekend some tree buds will be swelling. The Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain has reported some pussy willows (Salix spp.) in flower, so we should soon be seeing some fuzzy gray blossoms here on the North Shore, too. As the snow begins to recede, a bit of green begins to show in the gardens. Most green sprouts we are seeing now will be sprouting foliage of hardy bulbs, especially daffodils. Daffodils will flower in April or May, depending on variety, but start sending up leaves a month or so earlier. Near a south-facing house foundation or stone wall, which acts as a passive solar collector and warms up the nearby soil, the leaves may start showing and the flowers may actually bloom a few weeks earlier than in other sites. Daffodils are among Lenten roses, which are among the earliest perennials to bloom in our climate, are blooming indoors now but can be planted outside once the ground thaws. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) the most popular bulbs, since they are seldom eaten by rabbits, groundhogs or deer, which are fond of eating tulips and crocus flowers. Among the few very early non-bulb perennials that sometimes bloom in March, evergreen Lenten roses (Helleborus orientalis) are among the most rewarding. Since they bloom before the ground is fully thawed, they are at their best before garden centers open for the season. Sometimes they are sold in pots that can be enjoyed indoors, and once the ground thaws they can be planted in a shady spot where their green foliage can add to the landscape and they will bloom for many years during the early spring. They will not be eaten by wildlife, and while spring temperatures will affect when they bloom, the plants themselves are very hardy. Indoors or out, if the leaves look droopy, they will Robins feast on fruits of staghorn sumac held high above the snow. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) usually perk up within a few hours of being watered. We are also beginning to see the ice on the Saugus River melting; the surface ice has melted and refrozen in several spots over the course of the winter. Larger ponds still had ice and snow built along the river in many places we can see moving water. As the melting continues, fishing birds like herons and egrets return, and beavers will begin building new dams and repairing existing ones. Since American robins (Turdus migratorius) have few insects to eat in winter, they subsist on fruits left over from fall until the ground thaws. Among the fruits that help sustain them are the red clusters of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), a native shrub that thrives in sun and poor, rocky soils. This colony of staghorn sumac is on Hitching Hill Road near Vinegar Hill in Lynnhurst. “Spring Forward” Into Safety: When You Change Your Clocks, Check Your Alarms Outdated Alarms May Not Protect you When Needed Most, Fire Marshal Says Special to The Advocate W ith daylight saving time beginning on March 8, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine is reminding residents to check their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms when they change their clocks. “Smoke and CO alarms save lives, but only if they’re working properly,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “As we spring forward this weekend, remember to check your alarms when you change your clocks. The manufacturing date is printed on the back of the device, so take a look and replace any alarms that have gone out of date. And unless you have newer alarms with sealed, long-life batteries, this is a great time to replace the alkaline batteries in all your alarms.” Smoke and CO alarms are like any other appliance — they don’t last forever. Smoke alarms need to be replaced after 10 years, and carbon monoxide alarms need to be replaced after five, seven or 10 years, depending on the make and model. If your alarm is out of date, or if there’s no date at all, it’s time to replace it. Outdated alarms might not offer the life-saving protection that every household needs. Most Fire Deaths Take Place at Home Overnight Of the 44 fire deaths in Massachusetts last year (excluding motor vehicle collisions with a subsequent fire) 90% took place in residential settings — and 28 of those took place in the overnight and early morning hours. “Most fire deaths take place at home and they’re most common when we’re sleeping,” State Fire Marshal Davine said. “Tragically, we see this fact pattern play out again and again, especially with seniors in homes without working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms should be on the ceiling of each bedroom and in the hallway outside so you can hear the beep where you sleep.” Older Adults at Greatest Risk More than half of last year’s residential fire deaths involved adults aged 65 and older. State Fire Marshal Davine asked residents to check in on older relatives, friends and neighbors who might need help installing, testing or replacing their alarms. Seniors can also contact their local fire department, council on aging, or senior center for assistance: Department of Fire Services’ Senior SAFE grant program awarded nearly half a million dollars to fire departments across Massachusetts last year to support assistance with alarm installation and testing. Replacing an out-of-date alarm? The Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code requires replacement battery-operated smoke alarms in older one- and two-family homes to have sealed, longlife batteries and a hush feature. These alarms are easier to maintain and less likely to be disabled while cooking or by someone using the batteries for other household appliances. Alarms that meet UL Standard 217, 8th Edition or later, use the latest multi-criteria detection technology to prevent alarms caused by cooking smoke. Fire officials recommend choosing these alarms to reduce nuisance alarms — and the risk that a user will disable the alarm after burning food in the oven. “Disabling a smoke alarm puts you and everyone in your building at risk,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “Never remove the batteries from a smoke alarm until it’s time to SPRING FORWARD | SEE PAGE 14
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