Can you imagine my amazement when a bulb catalog for Fall 2015/Spring 2016 greeted me when I arrived home today? Brent and Becky's has out done itself. It reminds me of Christmas seeming to come earlier and earlier each year. Valentines day cards and dainties in stores the day after Christmas. Every opportunity seems to be made to capitalize on getting people to spend. Well, I was thrilled since by the time I  starting looking for bulbs in catalogue's this past fall, my selections were already sold out. Tulip bulbs I purchased for last spring from Brent and Becky's did not meet my expectations and produced poor results from very small bulbs. Looking at the prices, I'll have to think about whether to order from them again. I'm still excited to look at the possibilities for the fall when spring just arrived. After all, isn't this the time to start placing orders to get your top picks.

A Peek In The Yard

A blue sky like this after 6:30 pm.

Only one little area of snow left.

Bulbs starting to break ground. I hope I can remove the chicken wire and not harm the bulbs. I'm going to try to paint the original rusted fence black and put the ends back together. I still haven't decided what brick I want around the landscape boarder. I took the other bricks up, never liked them. I also have a different trellis this year. One that won't rot.

 The arborvitae has taken a beating this winter.

In the kitchen window.

Last years oxalis. It died down last year and went dormant. I recently stated watering it and it actually wasn't dead. I was surprised that they are bulbs. They're elongated due to being in my living room where they didn't get enough sun.

Off to my work desk tomorrow.

I'm glad it made it till morning. I thought our temperatures over night would freeze and kill it.

Have to get these planted. Glad to have some light colored ones.

My primroses have been doing well. I also have a purple one. Accidentally let the yellow one dry out. I'm going to plant it outside to see if it comes back next spring. Mom's palm plant made it through winter.

Yes more pansy pictures today.

Winter's Last Efforts, Didn't Stop Spring's Arrival

Friday was a winter wonderland. Absolutely beautiful.  Nothing could stop spring from coming, even a snow storm. The heavy snow flakes were beautiful. At least 5 inches of snow in my neighborhood followed by massive melting the next day. The snow was heavy and wet. Not paying attention while walking outside on Saturday could end in being injured in what I call snow bombs of heavy snow falling from tree limbs onto heads, cars, and sidewalks.

Temperatures in the 50's really helped to melt it quick and I'm glad, because I planned to be in the yard today. I think they underestimated the amount of snow forecasted for Philly. Predicted 1-3" in the city and we got much more. The snow was to be followed by rain but I don't think it even rained. Looked like all snow to me from early morning through out the day. Hopefully it's the last time I have to shovel till next winter.

 I lost my digital camera. Hope to find it because I was used to that particular brand. When I went shopping for another one I couldn't find the same one. The camera that took these photos is different and I'll have to learn what it does. I hope my other camera is in the house somewhere although I've been looking for it without success.

The after math of the storm also didn't keep me out of the garden center today. Pansy heaven for pansy and viola lovers. For those longing for tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, crocus, and almost any spring plant or bulb, they were plentiful. Last weekend I planted some bare root lilies before they died. They were really growing. The trillium I bought are also growing tops as well as the agapanthus. I'll try to plant those tomorrow and keep them on the porch. I was worried that the bare root plants would die on my unheated porch but I remembered that they are perennials and used to surviving and starting to grow at this time of year. So, I'll be planting any that have already started to grow tops. I'm waiting for a order of canna, elephant ears, and begonia. Can't wait to get out into the yard. My shrubs suffered with all the heavy snow weighing them down. Spring has a way of refreshing everything. They should be okay. 

What spring bulbs squirrels didn't eat in the yard are above ground. Crocuses were first with their yellow heads. When the snow melts in the yard I'll go out and take a survey of the yard. What I could see before our last storm was cat poop. I have to do something about them. I found last year that they don't like citrus so I've been trying to save some of the peals from oranges to put in the beds. The squirrels may find this interesting.

My favorite color although all the colors of pansies are beautiful to me.

Aren't they beautiful!

This rose will go on my desk at work and the tulip below until replaced by other spring flowers. It'll give me something beautiful to look at while at work.

Gerbera daisies. They'll stay in my window until they can go on the porch and then outside. The blooms are beautiful although I'm sure they won't bloom again in. We'll see. They were really cheap. I sure hope they live so I don't have to worry about buying any when other annual arrive in the nursery.

Got to have fresh flowers, That's a lot of flowers for $8.00's.

I think this is a variety of sea holly.

Alstromeria

Stargazer Lilies

Preparing for Spring

A few days till spring. Temperatures during the day have warmed to the 60's almost over night. By nightfall it still feels like winter. Today is chilly and rainy, a good day to burn some of the fire wood I bought in the fall. Inside the house is cool although the heat is still on. Turning off the thermostat till fall is always exciting because the bill will be so much lower. I was horrified with my last 2 gas bills this winter. It'll be nice to have that space on my porch where fire wood is for plants soon. I'm already thinking of what large tall plant to buy. For the past few years I have been resisting the urge to buy a palm, knowing that it will have to come inside during the winter and palms need light. I'm going  to buy one this year. We'll see what happens in the fall. If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that I mentioned that I usually change things up a little each season. It's that time again.

 Yesterday I spent hours after work until dusk cleaning the porch, taking an inventory of what I have, what I need, and how I want the porch to look this season. My daughter and I spend a lot of time out there, reading, talking, and enjoying the weather. It's nice to sit outside in the rain and not get wet. The rattan settee on the porch is filled with cushions and pillows of different colors. This season I'd like to match the cushions and only have 2 colors, white for the pillows, and a fabric I bought last summer to make cushions but didn't get to. This weekend I'd like to cut out the cover for the settee so I can make some progress and maybe by sometime in April, the new cover can go on. I also want to paint the porch floor. I didn't get to it last summer before the weather got too hot. The multiple window panes also have to be painted and that should end my painting there for a while. Unfortunately I broke a beautiful green ceramic flower pot I just bought. I loved the color. I have 2 smaller ones, but it's not the same. I'm hopeful that I'll find a replacement in the store.

What are my plans today? I woke up later than expected. On the weekend I like to get up early. It makes me feel I have more time to do things. I got dressed and sat on the porch. Read part of a gardening magazine, ate breakfast on the settee and fell asleep there. Not part of my plans. I'm now inside going through my curtains to see which one's I'd like in the living room and kitchen. I already have some pretty yellow floral ones for the bathroom with a matching rug and towels. I like white and lighter cooler colors  at this time of year. It makes me feel better and lifts my mood after months of shorter cold dark days. Soon I'll take up the rug in the living room till fall.

Today I'd also like to freshen up the house plants. Some have dead leaves to remove and some need repotting. I don't expect to get to everything today just start. Windows need washing, blinds taken down, washed and rehung, and surfaces wiped down. I hope to get around to finishing up the tiling in my kitchen the next few months. It would look so much better finished. Seeds are soaking on my dining room table hopefully to soften the seed coat before planting this weekend. The seedling I have are few but my geraniums should make it and look good. The second set of coleus I started are small and fragile although many should make it and I hope to repot some today.  Life is busy. 

I see plants breaking ground in the yard through my windows. There's also evidence that the neighborhood cat has visited. The new arborvitae I planted had a tough time with the weight of the snow. Hope they can recover. I just planted them in the fall. Waiting for pansies at the garden center. Did a drive buy this week to see if anything was out yet. They'll definitely be available by Easter. Can't wait. I cut my ornamental grass out front and cleaned out winter's evergreen branches. The planter is now ready for spring. The squirrels are still eating my bulbs. How sad. I already have a plan to keep them from eating in the fall. I hope they're still some spring bulbs to come up soon. They were so pretty last spring.

Black eye Susan seeds soaking.

Nasturtiums

Geraniums (pelargoniums)

The only 2 coleus that survived the first sowing. I like that they are dark colored ones.

I have about 6 geraniums this size. They'll be house plants at the rate they're growing.

Dragon wing begonia. Trying them again. They may not get large enough by time to plant out but that's okay. They can be house plants for the window seal.

I have to stand that one up. I knocked it down watering it. When they get this size they can be handled.

The only impatiens that germinated out of a whole tray. They should have been transplanted a long time ago. It would be nice if they make it.

Salvia. They look strong a good seed to work with.

Coleus are starting to show their colors. I'll transplant them a little deeper as they are elongated from not enough light.

One calibrachoa sprout. The other 3 dried up. Twenty seven more never germinated.

Fabric for my cushions. I don't even like the fabric now. I think the butterflies sold me at the time. It's this or solid red fabric I already have. I'll think about it.

This is what I'll probably be doing most of the evening inspite of my ambitious list of what to do.