As winter releases its grip and the first buds of spring emerge, something stirs beyond the realm of the living. The turning of the seasons has long been a time of shifting energies, when the veil between worlds becomes thinner, allowing spectral echoes to slip through. While autumn is traditionally associated with ghostly activity, folklore whispers of spirits that wake only with the renewal of spring.
These apparitions are not the restless dead of Samhain, nor the tormented souls of winter’s longest nights. They are something different—spirits tied to rebirth, to ancient cycles, to love left unfinished. Their hauntings are fleeting, their presence a reminder that even the dead acknowledge the changing of the earth.
Let us step into their world and explore the ghosts of spring.
The Lady of the Blossoms
In English folklore, there are tales of a woman in white seen only in the first bloom of spring. She appears among orchards and meadows, her footsteps leaving no trace, her breath carrying the scent of blossoms. Some say she is a bride, long forgotten, waiting for the lover who never came. Others claim she is the spirit of spring itself, manifesting briefly before fading once the season is in full bloom.
The superstition: It is said that if you see the Lady of the Blossoms before dawn, good fortune will follow you for the year—but if she vanishes before you can blink, you will know heartbreak before summer’s end.
The Whispering Children of the Equinox
As the spring equinox approaches, legends from Eastern Europe speak of ghostly laughter carried on the wind. These are said to be the spirits of children lost before their time, granted one night each year to play in the fields they never grew old enough to roam.
Villagers once left small toys or sweets in the grass on the eve of the equinox, believing that appeasing these spirits would ensure a bountiful harvest. Some claim that, on still nights, if you listen closely, you can hear their whispers drifting through the air like petals caught in the breeze.
The superstition: Never ignore the sound of children’s laughter on an empty field in March—some believe they call to the living, inviting them into the spirit world.
The Green Phantom of the Woods
In the dense woodlands of Scotland and Ireland, the arrival of spring brings whispers of the Green Phantom—a spectral figure cloaked in moss and ivy, seen only in the first weeks of the season. Unlike the menacing spirits of darker months, this ghost is a guardian, tied to the land’s awakening.
Those who claim to have seen the Green Phantom speak of a figure standing between trees, watching with ancient patience. Some believe it is the spirit of a long-forgotten druid, ensuring that the balance of nature is maintained. Others say it is a warning—an omen that if the land is mistreated, its guardian will not be so passive.
The superstition: If the Green Phantom crosses your path, leave an offering—a branch, a flower, or a whisper of thanks—or risk misfortune in the months to come.
The Phantom Footsteps of Forgotten Lovers
Spring is a time of love, but some romances do not find their happy endings. In parts of France and Italy, tales persist of unseen footsteps following lone travellers along riversides and garden paths at twilight. These ghosts are said to be lost lovers, forever searching for the one they could not find in life.
The unlucky few who hear these phantom footsteps but dare to turn and look behind them often see no one there—only the wind stirring the blossoms, the last trace of a soul that cannot move on.
The superstition: If you feel the presence of an unseen companion on a spring evening, walk on and do not stop. Some say these spirits mean no harm, but others warn that acknowledging them invites them to follow you forever.
The Spirits of the Season
Spring is not just a time of light and renewal—it is a season of echoes, of whispers carried on the wind, of spirits tied to the earth’s rebirth. Unlike the restless ghosts of winter, these are spirits of longing, of nature’s rhythm, of unfinished stories tied to the land.
So as the blossoms bloom and the air hums with new life, listen carefully. You may just hear the footsteps of something unseen, feel the gaze of something watching, or catch the scent of a presence that does not belong to the living.