Am I - Really Ready??

For the last two months I have been making everyone nuts with my 'Spring Fever'.  I've looked out the windows longingly, every weekend, while I compose the post of the week.  There have been mounds of snow, blizzards, freezing sunny days and icy rains - and yet nothing has dimmed my enthusiasm.  The design planning, the wishlists, the researching - it's all gone really well.  All those activities require mental exercise.... but not physical exertion.   There in lies the problem.....

Let me sleep!!
(Clip Art from Microsoft)

Now I'm not saying that I need to train for a marathon - though some of our garden blog friends do.  Yesterday I had a BIG reality check after some light furniture moving & home sprucing for a friend.  I'm not as young or as strong as I used to be!  Not an easy thing to admit!

Now don't expect me to do "power stairs"....

NO way ... that's not going to be me!
(Clip Art from Microsoft)

I do need to get into better shape if I have any chance of getting my 'action item list' complete this season!  Aching backs and sore muscles are not going to cut it!  In the meantime, I have enjoyed the new growth on our interior plants.

The Hibiscus, Meyer Lemon and Oxalis are sending up new growth

The Fuchsia opened a second bloom.
What a treat in early March!

Since I've had 'gardening on the brain' - I took a stroll through the yard today, to get an early glimpse of what might be coming up.  The inclement weather took a break today, the snow flurries melted, the icy rain had dried up (mostly) and the sun was out.

Growing - 03/06/11

My biggest thrill was seeing the PJM Rhododendron - not only growing (a miracle for me - this is my 3rd try), but with flower buds evident!  As you see, it takes center stage on my collage.  I just can't wait for the iridescent purple flower clusters to bloom!

Also up and breaking through last season's leaves and debris - from top right clockwise: Common Orange Tiger Lilies, Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hybrid - Pot of Gold),  Sedum (album chloroticum 'Baby Tears), Asiatic Lily (Lilium Hybrid - 'Crimson Pixie'), Paprika Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium), and Bugleweed 'Black Scallop" (Ajuga reptans).

So I better get going - putting together my 30-day 'warm up for Spring' routine together.  Otherwise I'll be crying the blues again, with some garden injury that could have been avoided (maybe)!?!  In the meantime, back to the books!!  (I re-discovered this great book in my garden library this weekend -- "Creating Beds and Borders" by fine Gardening.)  

Happy Gardening (and garden planning) this week!!!

Amping up for 2011

It was a 'garden planning day' today.  I spent the day looking over garden photographs from 2010 and reading my garden journal.  There were wishlists, sketches on tracing paper and paging through the "Perennials for Illinois" guide book - that is dog-eared and tabbed from front to back.  As I've mentioned in the past, I am a visual person -- the sketches on tracing paper has become one of my most effective tools for garden planning.

Getting an idea of mature size & shape of existing bushes
 In the 'South by Southwest Garden'

I fell in love with another new plant (at least new for me) - Mallow (Malva moschata & Malva alcea).  My goal for the SSW garden is to have a 'cottage garden' feel to it.  Have tall, field friendly flowers/plants that move with the wind, supported by a strong architectural backdrop from the dark emerald Arborvitae.

Mallow
(Labeled for reuse on Google)

Reviewing my garden photos from last year (and there were a boatload!) was a trip down memory lane:

A trip down memory lane
Gardening 2010 at the Bunnies Buffet

It was a good sense of accomplishment!  Reviewing the perennials I would like to add to my gardens reinforced my resolve to back away from impulse buying when it comes to annuals.  It also helped prioritize the plants to be bought, and which gardens are going to get which plants.  It's all about the 'bang for the buck'!

My 2011 Wishlist
(using FreeFoto.com for images)

So as the temperatures in the Midwest start to edge up - forecasting 52 degrees (f) this coming Thursday, things are looking up!  (I'm not naive to think temperatures will stay 'up'.)  Planning helped take the edge off of my 'cabin fever'.  Now it's Spring's turn to show up....

Happy Garden Planning!

A "Silver (and Gold") Lining in a Grey-Weather Weekend

This past weekend was cold, windy and grey... but in the middle of it all, there were moments of sparkle, smiles and a wide-eyed surprise that made me feel like a kid!  With the wind whipping rudely through my gardens, I remembered that I really, really needed to make a trip - to one of my favorite places- Platt Hill Nursery.  This was merely a parochial trip, strictly functional -- "pinky swear".

Last year I ignored a recommendation to protect my new Berry-Magic Royalty Holly ('Blue Prince'/'Blue Princess') with a anti-transpirant or anti-desiccant spray.  Holly faces due north and unprotected from the NW winter winds.  I lost quite a few leaves in spring - many turning black before they fell off!  (It was one of my treasured purchases - at Platt Hill in 2009 - and here I was, neglecting it when it counted most.)

Winter 2009

So determined not to make the mistake again, I made the pilgrimage there Sunday.  I strolled up to the front door - eying some really well done 'Holiday Green' arrangements artfully placed, tempting me before I even walked in.  (I had to start talking to myself ..."Keep on task, keep on task, keep on task!" ... this isn't spring.)  I walked up to a helpful clerk, trying to stay focused on my action item.  NOT easy - the entire store was a treasure trove of holiday temptation.  And then .... it hit me .... the view I could not refuse:

Come on in ... you know you want to!

WHO can say 'NO' to this?  I mean seriously?!!  Let's combine a garden hot house with the North Pole --- is this not a gardener's holiday paradise?  I took a quick pirouette around and knew I wanted to put up a post about this - so I went up to the front office to ask permission to take pictures.  I nervously asked a very generous manager if I could take pictures for my blog.  After explaining my intent, she very kindly consented.  

Ohhhhhhhh......

A tear came to my eye... just when I thought I had gotten this garden season out of my system, I saw these incredible Cyclamen and Amaryllis!  Somebody, stop me!!

There was some new discovery everywhere I looked....  I truly felt like a kid in a candy store!  You know that shiver of excitement when it's almost too much to take in?!   I couldn't believe my good fortune... starting a routine trip, and walking into 'Wonderland'.

The misters hummed away overhead, as I looked across a sea of Poinsettias.  It's almost like being in "Garden Santa's" workshop.  I stood in awe.

There were 'baby' poinsettias in clever holiday vases... how sweet?!  Come on, even the Grinch couldn't walk away from that.  (I want one!! ... ok, maybe more ... but I swear 5 is my limit.)

I was enamored with the red and white Cyclamen ... so crisp, so striking, so tempting.  Clever arrangements, brilliant layout - just drew your eye around the entire space.  

I don't mean to rush the holiday season.  If you knew me, you would know I don't normally even think past Thanksgiving until I get past it!  But this was too special and such a treat - on a cold, windy, cranky kind of day (after incredibly unseasonable warmth)!  Just looking at the pictures again - humbly shot with my little cell phone camera - makes me smile like I have a secret!  .... This time, I decided to share ....