Spring . . . At Last!

Evidence of life returning to trees and bushes . . .

Crab Apple Tree

Crab Apple Tree in Shade Garden

Grandma's Blessing Rose Bush

My first tulip blossom!  
These tulips have been up since the first of February and have endured 6 snowfalls!

First tulip blossom!

Raised Veggie Bed 4-6-13

Snow Covered Veggie Bed

Veggie bed before today's work.

Plastic cover not opened between November and today.
Butter crunch lettuce that survived and grew this winter
while under plastic.

Spinach that survived and grew this winter while under plastic

Arugula, spinach, and butter lettuce that survived and grew this winter
while under plastic.

Step 1 . . . a big THANK YOU to my husband, Ken,
for digging out the dirt I put in this bed 2 years ago.

Ingredients for new soil . . . compost, peat most, and vermiculite.
"All New Square Foot Gardening" by Mel Bartholomew
Great book!

Another big THANK YOU to Ken for mixing all the new soil for me . . .
1/3 of each . . . by volume, not weight

My wheelbarrow . . . two wheels in front make it stable  :-)

New soil in place.   Planting done.

Cherry Tomato 

Heirloom German Tomato

Planted in left section:  radishes, spinach, arugula, kohlrabi, onions,
beets, rosemary plant (which made it through the winter under the plastic!)

Planted in right section:  snow peas and 2 tomato plants.
Frame in place.  Ready for plastic cover.

Seeds, rosemary plant, and tomato plants . . .
toasty warm and safe from frost.

Spring Snow . . . 3/10/13

Looks like we got about 8 inches of snow.  Nice thing about spring snows, they do not hang around long.  Photos taken with my cell phone on Monday, March 11, 2013.  

LOVE shadows on the snow!

Winter Bones . . . Shade Garden

Harry Lauder's Walking Stick  (aka Cork Screw). . . Great Winter Bones!

More Winter Bones.  Cut back red twig dogwood 2 days before the snow.

Sir Oliver . . . thankful for his black spots!

One of 4 solar snowmen.  Happy, happy, happy!

Spring is Springing Up All Over!

I know that Mr. Groundhog said spring is just around the corner . . . but seriously?  This picture was taken yesterday, Wednesday, February 27th, showing my tulips about 6 weeks too early for Nebraska!  They have been covered by snow twice but seem no worse the wear.  If there were flower buds, that would be a different story.

My daffodils are up about 2 inches but currently are under a pile of shoveled snow.

Hmmmm . . . maybe I should lift my thyme plant and check on my crocus!

P.S.  The white blog in the bottom left corner of the picture is snow.

A Cracked Pot in Need of Dirt Therapy!

Another year of winter yo yo-ing . . .
up and down
teens to the 60's
and back again!

I'm so confused . . .
not really . . .
but my perennial flowers
and bulbs
are totally confused!

Having not cleaned up my flowerbeds last fall,
I spent a recent warm (50's) Saturday
cutting back dead foliage
I know . . .
I probably should have waited
but my spring fever took control
I couldn't stand looking
at death
any longer
and I didn't think
about what I would find!
So I began . . .
mums
herbs
other perennials . . .
when what to my wondering eyes did appear?
New life emerging
everywhere
beneath death!
Not to worry, though . . .
mums are hardy plants!

Yo Yo Down! 

The temps dropped
to "normal" Nebraska winter temps
or at least what I remember
as normal Nebraska winter temps!
It's been a while
the memory's a little fuzzy!

Add a 6-inch snowfall.

Good, that will keep plants and bulbs in their place!
NOT!

Yo Yo Up!

Out of their warm, earthy beds
daffodils up an inch . . .
early.
Tulips up a half inch . . .
way too early!

So what's a mother to do?
Send them all back to bed?

The arrival of seed
and flower catalogs . . . 
that's like waving a green flag
in the face of a gardener
teasing me to egg on
springs arrival!

But
soon
and very soon :-)
early, cool-weather veggies
will fill my raised veggie bed.

For now
I'm trusting God
to wake up spring
and my daffodils
and my tulips
and my mums
and all my other perennials 
in due season!

I'm trusting . . .
But I'm not so patiently
waiting
waiting
waiting
for dirt therapy!
Let it begin . . . SOON!

The Whole Earth . . .

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who rules over all.
The whole earth is full of his glory.”

Isaiah 6:3 NIRV

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall's New Beginnings!

Fall is my MOST favorite season . . .
crisp temps and amazing colors.  AND I love the physical work 
involved in putting my yard and flowerbeds to bed for the winter . . .

which I began 2 weeks ago.

 
 
Project #1  . . .  my iris bed . . .

BEFORE

 

AFTER
This bed is now home for my new Tall Bearded Iris Collection. 
The tall bearded iris will bloom late spring to early summer and
re-bloom midsummer to frost!  Mature Height:  24-40"

Project #2 . . .

 

  BEFORE

Daffodils never really bloomed, as were too deep.  I put
off transplanting them as I did not want to disturb the sedum . . .

or the bed in general.  Cranberry bush was dying a slow death
the past couple of years, so  . . .
decided this was the year to disturb this bed!

 

 

 AFTER

I replanted a few daffodils at the rounded end of this bed.

In the middle, I replanted 100 tulips. 
After the daffodils and tulips bloom, I will plant annuals.

 

 

 

 Project #3 . . . mail box . . .

 

BEFORE



We put in a new mail box this spring and moved it toward
the drive.  The creeping phlox, beautiful for many years,

 "bit the dust" during this year's drought.
There was also a large clump of daffodils that needed attention.

 

WORK IN PROGRESS . . .

my husband, Ken, and our gardening buddy,
Sir Oliver.

 

 

 AFTER
I replanted some of the daffodils around the mailbox post.  I'm thinking
about taking the red rooster grass from the pot
on my front porch and planting it to the right side of this bed.
This bed will be home to annuals . . . I think :-)

Project #4 . . .

BEFORE
A couple of years ago, we extended the front edge of this bed
into the front yard.  Needing to dig up a couple of patches of
tulips and a patch of daffodils this fall was
motivation to finally get the sod dug out!!!

AFTER

This bed is the new home of the iris in the first picture,

along with tulips and daffodils.


For the past 35 years, I have purchased all of
my flower bulbs exclusively from Brecks, along with my new tall bearded iris.
My other iris were given to me by a friend. 

This fall . . .1/3 of my iris, tulips, and daffodils have found a new home
in my daughter's yard . . . another 1/3 in my daughter-in-law's yard!
 

New mulch will be added next spring to all my flowerbeds.