Plant seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love; it will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of nature.
~ Steve Maraboli
Even with the crazy winter redux this week, the garden keeps growing and blooming. There are so many plants that are emerging already, and the 80 degree weather this past weekend certainly spurred it on. Even the lavender foliage above is turning from gray to blue-green. I am feeling lucky for the abundance I find every day in the garden including new visitors like the first pollinators.
Because of the frigid temps and snow, I did not start any seed outside yet, but will start my peas and perhaps radishes and spinach this weekend. But I do have some seeds growing in the basement waiting for the safety of the end of May to bring them out for planting.
To celebrate all the new lush green foliage showing up, I am linking in with Pam@Digging for her Foliage Follow Up on the 16th, and Christina@Creating my own garden of the Hesperides for her Garden Bloggers Foliage Day on the 22nd.
Lots of daffodil foliage everywhere. It was a treat to see these as the snow melted. And they have begun to bloom in a few spots.
This is what my Eastern Prickly Pear cactus looks like after winter. The wrinkly appearance might make you think it is dead, but it will puff up and smooth out with the warm weather. What is not normal are the bite marks. It appears the voles that hang out nearby like this plant.
Lots of new foliage and blooms on the hellebores. I love the look of the new babies growing.
And here come the Oriental Poppies with their fuzzy foliage.
The foliage beginning on rhubarb is so very unusual as it unfurls. I can’t wait to harvest the rhubarb stems for an early yummy crop.
Iris foliage is growing too and I am certainly glad I cut them all back in the fall. Less clean up. I really have to divide these this year, and this chore makes the top 5 must-do garden chores soon. I can’t wait to spread these beauties all over the garden especially in the front garden where the voles did so much damage. Voles seem to leave the iris alone.
I am ecstatic with all the columbine or Aquilegia volunteers under the trees in the front garden. I moved most of them out to the chewed up areas of the front garden left barren by the voles. These lovelies will grow and bloom, and create more babies to plant in other spaces. I love letting them spread their wonderful blooms, and who doesn’t adore the cabbage-like foliage.
And a few native plants are starting. I adore Virginia Bluebells as they begin to emerge with their purple foliage. It turns green as it grows, but I always know where it is blooming when I see the purple shoots.
The Bloodroot is also popping up with its curled leaves. Soon they will release the pretty white flowers, but for now they are holding on to them tight especially with the snow we just had.
The veg seeds, I started in the basement, are beginning to pop up except for the peppers. I may need to throw in some more seed if they are not sprouting in the next couple of days. Top left (moving clockwise) are the tomatoes, followed by the many different basil and marigold. I planted over 200 seed. I like to choose the best plants, of all those that are growing, once they are ready for transplant. These seedlings will go in the garden after our last frost which occurs at the end of May.
What foliage is showing off in your garden right now? Did the recent cold snap affect your garden? I hope you did not lose any plants. You can see the snow on my garden below.
What gardener has not felt the subtle attunement of self to universe that occurs when, on a late winter day no less blustery than the one before, a garden cries out for that great act of faith, planting-and then, within days, spring breaks like a sudden warm wave? ~Patricia Monaghan
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In her latest post, Fran Sorin talked about a new movement she has created called Give A Flower, Get A Smile. I love
Random Acts of Kindness, and this idea is perfect for anyone who loves flowers and wants to pay it forward. In the post, Fran talks about her experience with giving flowers to complete strangers and how it gives her as much pleasure as it does the recipients of the flowers.
Fran also had some words of wisdom to help us connect and smile:
1. Walk headphone and text free when you’re out on streets or public transportation.
2. Set a daily intention to smile at strangers throughout the day.
3. Start a conversation with someone you don’t know at least one time per day.
4. Practice living in a more interconnected way.
5. Participate in Give A Flower, Get A Smile.
Even though I don’t find myself out and about much, I hope to cut some flowers from my garden and spread them around to neighbors, strangers and acquaintances. If you do participate (and I hope you do), make sure to take a picture and post to their FB page.
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Next up on the blog: Monday I will have a special Earth Day post as I review a wonderful garden book. I will also be giving away a copy of the book so make sure you stop by.
I hope you will join me for my posts once a month at Beautiful Wildlife Garden.
I can also be found blogging once a month at Vision and Verb.
As always, I’ll be joining Tootsie Time’s Fertilizer Friday.
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