Saturday

A beautiful day. Blue sky, not too cool, and a gentle wind. And the first day seeing cherry blossom trees starting to bloom. My neighbors tree was the first I've seen to bloom from my view on the sunporch. Their narcissus always beautiful should follow.

Such a short period of bloom for the crocus.

Will miss the fragrance of yellow blooming primrose when it heats up.

Another thing to do. Putting away hyacinth forcing vases until the fall.

Strawberries waiting to be planted.

Hyacinths that didn't develop roots by forcing in water all fall and winter, developed roots in soil. Couldn't wait to pull them to see. They may bloom after all.

Pansies to go in the flower bed out front.

Looks like they'll be some white hyacinths.

Creeping Jenny for the planter out front.

Dragon wing begonias have grown. Those that germinated out of 20 seeds. I'm going to start some more after all the seedlings go outside to keep indoors and maybe have blooms in the winter.

Still have coleus to transplant.

Some didn't do well. I usually don't throw out any seedling until I know it's not going to make it. I'll water them and see if that helps but I don't think they will but they're plenty that are growing nicely.

A few vinca survived. I'm also going to start more of these just for the window indoors over winter.

Petunias. Some didn't survive transplanting although I didn't start many.

Petunias look healthy.

Starting to look like basil. It's time to transplant it into individual pots. A few to a pot. Another day.

Peppers. Why is that white streak on that pepper? Hope it's not some type of virus. Maybe I should cut it off or get rid of the whole pot because they all may be infected. I have another pot started.

Finally have a few tomatoes and they're getting their true leaves.

Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce has a long way to go. I'll start some other types before it gets too hot. I love Freckles Lettuce but don't have seeds yet.

Second sowing of geraniums.

That's a lot of foxgloves. They should be a good size by summer to transplant for blooms next spring.

One of 3 sweet potato vine cutting that survived the winter, yeah. Don't think I'll have to buy any. I have one tuber in the basement from last season to start.

Purchased this weekend with my gift card from Christmas. Is it a hoya or peperomia plant. A plant tag from Costa Farms didn't include the name as usual. I hope you're enjoying the start of spring. Happy Gardening!

Twenty Four Hours Until Spring

Almost spring and my first day in the yard since fall.

It wouldn't be me if I didn't have some pansies already. When other bulbs and annuals are available I'll update the planter.

Finally got the Norway Maple out front cut, severely.

I won't be listening again to those who use plastic over bulbs. Squirrels got wise near the end of winter and ate through the plastic eating many bulbs. Every time I looked out the window they were sitting on the fence eating bulbs. Guess it won't be the display I expected.

Ate through the plastic, even pushed the bricks to the side. No bird feeder for them to eat from this year when I find another type more squirrel proof.

One of two boxwoods survived, disappointed and tired of buying these bushes.

This narcissus had to be dug up early and didn't have a chance.

They even dug through this type of wire. I'll have to return to the type I was using in previous years.

Only one strawberry survived.

Tulips survived her with the traditional wiring used.

So upset. Two gardenias supposedly hardy in my area and supposedly evergreen aren't looking good.

Rose planted in the shade survives as always. Maybe this will be the year someone will dig it up for me to transplant in a sunnier location.

Another boxwood planted in the fall survived without being burned by winter's wind and frost.

And clean up will begin soon. Not looking forward to it.

They sure did destroy my bulbs.

Only 1 narcissus so far.

Peony emerging that probably won't bloom this year due to too much shade. The trees in the yard aren't cut yet. Hopefully soon.

When Heaven Touches Earth

When heaven touches the earth. That's what spring feels like to me. Although spring doesn't officially arrive until next week, the smell of spring is in the air. Just as the air in winter has a crispness and cleanness that can only be felt at this time of year, so does spring. As I sit on my bed writing this post with windows open, curtains billowing in the air from the wind; it's a beautiful night. After work I sat on the sunporch enjoying the warmth, bright sun, and beautiful clear blue sky. As hyacinths and yellow flowering primrose scented the porch. A scent that I won't be able to capture again until next winter. To be able to bottle that scent would be wonderful. Even my cat knows spring is near. She basks in the window enjoying the warmer days and sights of squirrels, possums, neighborhood cats, and the returning chirp of birds. Even she it seems is more energetic and playful sensing a different welcome season is here.

My house plants have known for weeks and indicated it by putting out new leaves. The days are getting longer and my African violet plants that have spent fall and winter in the window became sunburned in a few days with the increasing intensity of the sun. I removed them to the bedroom last night. They'll sit near a window but won't be in so much direct sun until fall again when the days get shorter and the sun not so hot. Or maybe when the seedlings have all been planted outdoors after the last frost, they'll go to the plant shelf under lights and maybe start blooming.

I await perennials and bulbs emerging from the earth, the blooms of cherry blossom, dogwoods, magnolia, and other flowering trees. Wish lilacs were hardy in my region. It seems like everything is late this year. Looking back at last years blog post around this time, hosta and spring bulbs had broken the soil. In time. Until then I'll enjoy purchased bulbs already in bloom. Not rushing getting into the yard with all the work there but excited to prepare my flower bed and containers out front. If you've been following my blog you know I love pansies and they've arrived although I haven't been to the nursery yet to see what's available. Hopefully this weekend.

These crocus were supposed to be orange and tiger stripped. Not so.

Iris

Tulips getting a little bit taller.

Hyacinths

Primrose

Narcissus

Hyacinths that were in forcing vases in the basement and brought upstairs into the light but never got beyond this size. Except one that bloomed. Don't know what happened to them this year. So today I put them in soil to see if they can make roots and possibly bloom before the temperatures get too warm.

The window sill is full so they'll sit on the floor by the window.

Such a small flower to be so scented. Glad God choose to grace the earth with it's scent. I often wonder, what will the gardens be like in heaven?

Miniature Rose

From the 30's at night to the 60's. Not bad.