Yes, it’s almost Mother’s Day! And flowers abound at all the shops and tents set up at this time of year. So…I couldn’t wait. With all the sales, and anxious to get a jump on things, especially after all the wicked cold and snow we had, I splurged.
For those of us who still love to play in dirt and move piles of compost from one place to another, this is our season! I spent some time last week moving compost from the bins down by a shed up to the house. I have a few greenhouse beds I emptied then refilled with fresh dirt. I added some more compost to the little Nipper Garden in my side yard and replenished the beds up by the house. I even painted a an address sign to add to the front garden of my house since the Fed Ex guys just can’t ever seem to figure out which house is mine!
And now I wait until I feel like ALL danger of frost has really passed before I plant outside. With one exception, I will keep my plants in the greenhouse during the day and bring them in at night, if need be, since the greenhouse is not heated.
The exception is violas! These tiny little beauties come in so many pretty combinations, all of which seem to include purple, that I bought a whole flat. I planted them in a couple of spots to satisfy me until I can really let loose with the outdoor floral decorating.
Violas are great for the impatient people out there like myself. They are very hardy and can stand light frosts and even a late snow here and there. I planted them in the barrel on our deck and around the lilac bush out front. They take some shade or full sun and bring color from early spring all the way to August or so, even longer if you are diligent about keeping them pinched back. Great for containers and borders.
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I also bought petunias, morning glories, and thunbergia. I have a couple of places that I like to plant vines, but they took so long to grow last year since I started them from seeds, I hardly got them tall enough before the summer was over. So I bought larger thunbergia plants this year and some morning glory to get a jump on things.
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Our Nipper Garden, so named because my sister’s cat is buried there, lies ready to go. Catnip and a bit of lemon thyme is all that it boasts right now, both of which should receive awards for surviving the beastly arctic temps of winter! The sign will be painted this year – I hope! And my lilac is already releasing a bit of that delicious scent that will soon be bursting with blooms and my favorite spring fragrance!
I also have tomato, squash, cucumber, lettuce and broccoli seeds planted inside. I can already taste the sweet cherry tomatoes…yum!
So, how is your garden coming? Have you planted anything? What projects are you working on? Share your thoughts with us!