Waiting on Springtime

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With the balmy 42 degree temperatures that we experienced today, my thoughts ran to springtime and planting. I so hope that I can enjoy one of my passions this spring. Besides all the clearing and cleaning work that I need to do on this property (which will take years), I plan wonderful shade and sun gardens. Today, on a trip to Sam's Club, I made my first spring purchases.

Today's picks:

24 Hosta roots (I think they are roots, I've never grown hosta before)

100 Gladiolus bumbs

12 Dinnerplate Dahlias - Princess pink

12 Dinnerplate Dahlias - mixed colors

I am excited. The hosta will line the driveway that is near the house. The glads I will plant where they will get huge amounts of sun on the edge of the woods. Not sure where I'll put the dahlias yet, but hopefully somewhere close to the house. Sam's has the boxes of the above for just over $11 each, so for about 56 bucks, I'll at least have some flowers for cutting and others for viewing. I think I'll go back and get some more! ;)

I've been looking for what seeds I'll try to grow here. I've already cleared (last fall) a place for a shade garden that is just up from the driveway where the landscape timbers make a natural garden. There are many trees, but it will look wonderful. Next week, hopefully, I'll purchase the canisters of seed for this area. I'm going to expand the flowers for the hummingbirds, so that they will have more choice than just the Rose of Sharon.

I may not get to the veggies this year, but I'm not to worried about that. I love fresh flowers, and I'm gonna have them if it kills me. Maybe tomorrow, if it isn't so muddy, I'll be able to rake up some of the tons (in weight) of leaves to mulch to add to the soil. I'll start my mulch pile later, but at least I can chop these up and add them to the soil when I turn it over.

With the amount of limbs down, I think I'm gonna get hubby to rent a chipper so that I can have wood chips for the more formal beds. I'd hate for him just to burn all these potential wood chips in the fire pit. Sure the rotten stuff he can burn, but the good is going to be chips even if I have to do it myself.

He'll be looking forward to his next deployment before he finishes this one if I tell him the plans I have in store for him. LOL!

Are you looking forward to springtime too?

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2002

Answers

Oh apoc, I am LONGING for spring. An old Peanut's cartoon I used to have up on fridge showed a droopy Charlie Brown declaring that "February was the Monday of months". We had several days here where there was enough warmth that the smell of warming dirt was on the breeze. I was in heaven. Now we are under a foot of snow.

I love hostas........they are so happy in shade and multiply so well that I can keep digging them and spreading them further and further. Last summer was my first summer in a couple years that I was not going to Haiti so I went crazy on the veggies and only need enough to eat mostly this year. Flowers here I come!!! I want a huge cutting garden this year. I put of pieces of older picket fence in the middle of some new beds and want to really create some cottage type gardens this year. Dang, you really got me going. Time to head for Sam's.!!!! Is it warm enough where you are that you don't need to dig up the glads and dahlias? I have to dig mine.

-- Anonymous, February 02, 2002


I can't afford to plant anything along my driveway. It belongs to the plowman and all those ruts and salt (from off the main road).

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002

Brooks,

I won't plant next to the road, and probably won't start for about 50 feet or so. My driveway is about 250 feet long. I'll probably start on the side of the creek that runs under the driveway on up towards the house. If I do start at the creek, it's a good 100 feet from the road.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002


I think I'll count mself lucky if I can resusitate the lawn this year.

With all the activity at the house, both back and front are deader than the Ram's winning streak! The side lawns don't even exist anymore.

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2002


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