I've lost my drive.

It happened last year in mid February. I didn't notice if it happened this year, it was too cold to do anything constructive outside. Now that the weather has improved significantly, I don't want to do anything.

This afternoon, I came home from work and pulled the edgers from the two beds Carla and I laid out this afternoon. I don't like them. I removed one of the beds completely. They don't match the house. They are too pink. It's adding a new material in a yard already full of materials. I prefer the wooden raised beds. It looks more natural and blends with what I already have. Before I plant any tomatoes this year, I'll be building at least one, maybe two, new raised wooden beds to match the three I already have. In the morning, I plan to take out the rest of the edgers. Free or not, they just don't work with my palette. I'll have to reconstruct the one bed we moved. It shouldn't take long.

My materials in the yard include stone



Concrete



Brick



and wood.



There's another thing or three that's bothering me too. Besides being nearly disgusted by the sight of the dead oak tree and the surrounding carnage I created by removing it this year, the activity level on Brown Avenue is increasing. Loud shouting, mopeds, and car traffic can be heard everywhere in the yard. It's too bad. Last year, even without leaf cover, the lower corner of the yard was pretty quiet and private. I'm going to have to do something about that this year. I need to learn to propagate evergreen plants like arborvitae. I'd really love a Hemlock, more Magnolias, and a weeping willow, but I don't have the 30 years it would take. The willow is actually in the plans already. I hope they grow fast.

At least the privet in the gully will regrow without any assistance from me. And who knows what seedlings will pop up back there now that the soil is exposed to sunlight. I'm expecting a few hundred mimosa trees. The hummingbirds will be happy.

I've still got oodles of seeds left to sow. I managed to sow 36 six packs this evening before I gave up. I'm just not feeling it. If I knew they would grow, I would just scatter them. I know from experience that never works out well for me. Plus, my anal-retentive nature won't allow me to just let things grow where they want. I need to be in control of my gardens, as much as anyone can be in control of what grows where.

I'll get the seeds sown soon. I'll stick the 36 containers in the hoophouse tomorrow. At 71 for the forecasted high, those petunias and marigolds should sprout quickly. I'll also get my plans in order for the rest of the spring. I know there's still a chance of nasty weather, so I'm not too concerned about not being motivated just yet. I don't want to get behind though. Six months of blooms don't happen by themselves, or overnight.

In the meantime, I'll just settle for watching the garden come alive. Although, I was disappointed by the "hyacinth" that has turned out to be a little less stunning than I expected.



At least there are crocuses.





It's still 59 degrees.

I felt like I had to.

It reached 52 today. Standing outside in longsleeves, jeans, and a hat, it didn't feel like it. It's still cold to me. That didn't stop me from feeling like I just had to do something outside today.

So I moved all the big pieces of wood to the end of the driveway where they'll reside over the summer, no doubt collecting all sorts of critters and vermin. I brought the smaller pieces inside and split some as well. The next few weeks, I'll use it up overnight hopefully ending up with none by the time the weather finally warms.



All of my unsprouted 2-liters went into the garden bed that's not currently being used. They'll get more sunlight here, especially in the morning. I hope to see some activity in these soon.



The camellia that just won't quit. On the sunny side, all the blooms are brown and mushy. In the shade, they're huge. This one is nearly 4" across.



More color. Finally.



It wasn't much, but it did feel like I accomplished something. And I have my driveway back. One day next week, I plan to start a new bed. I'm going to need the planting space.

A skippadee doo dah day.

It's only 59, but the sun is warm. The owls were back this morning when I left for work. I think I heard some smaller hoots with them.

The daffodils are basking.



The crocuses are exploding.



I don't know the name of this weed, but it blooms blue and I love it. It grows everywhere.



Tulips? I haven't planted tulips for 2 years. I wonder if they'll bloom?



Shine on me sunshine, walk with me world, it's a skipadee doo dah day.

Wintersown Germination.

In the hoophouse:

Ox Eye Daisy
Salvia Blue Queen
Dianthus Firewitch
Orlaya Grandiflora
Salvia officinalis
Dianthus knappi
Echinacea Harvest Moon
Rudbeckia triloba
Great Blue Lobelia
Dianthus Depford Pink
Monarda fistula
Ageratum
Penstemon Husker Red
Coreopsis Mahogany Midget
Pink Touch Me Not Impatiens
Siberian Wallflower
Lavendula Augustifolia


71 2-liters have germinated:

Chives
Red Mexican Hat - 2
Cardoon
Shasta Daisy White Knight
Diathus Firewitch - 2
Phlox Laura
Siberian Wallflower - 2
Chloeme - 2
Queen Anne's Lace - 2
Rudbeckia hirta brown - 2
Orlaya grandiflora
Rudbeckia hirta Cherry Brandy - 2
Drummond phlox
Potentilla
Evening Primrose
Ox Eye Daisy - 3
Red Lychnis
Great Blue Lobelia
Malva
Migonette
Lavendula Augustifolia
Bronze fennel
Buddleia White - 2
Obedient Plant
Helenium
Hardy Geranium Brookside
Gaillardia yellow
Fennel
Blue Flax
Foxglove
Echinacea purple - 6
viola tricolor
Touch Me Not
Buddleia purples
Golden Margureite
Chrysanthemum Robinson's Red
Amsonia
Marsh Mallow
Columbine purple
Rose Campion pink
Pearl Grass
Dianthus Depford Pink
Rose Campion white
Salvia Blue Queen
Culver's root
Garlic Chives
Double Red Monarda
Rudbeckia hirta
Hollyhocks
Bamboo white dragon
Verbena hasata
Malva mauritiana
Verbascum Wedding Candles
Verbascum Milkshake
Salvia Lady in Red
Dianthus knappi

Germination in the hoophouse has been good. I was expecting better, but I'm not going to complain. Just a quick count tells me that so far, assuming 4 hunks of seedlings per 2-liter and 8 containers of each in the hoophouse that should net at least two hunks, I've got about 556 holes to dig. This doesn't count the 125 Rudbeckia hirta cups that have sprouted and will need to be divided into at least 2 clumps at planting time. If I manage to get it all planted out, it will be beautiful. I still have about 100 tender/annual varieties to sow. I'm a long way from being done.

While checking on my containers, I moved the sprouted ones forward. I'll be watching for the second set of leaves before planting out. Doing this early reduces loss and makes for hardier plants. I used this same method last year with decent results.



I took some time this morning, after the wood was split, to pull back some of the leaves on the perennial bed. The soil is very wet. It needs to dry out a bit before I can plant. Hopefully, the sun shining on it with the light wind we're having will help. The low humidity certainly will. I shredded the leaves and scattered them in the meadow. This spring, I'll shred more leaves from across the street to put back down to reduce watering and continue to add to my organic mass.

I found two new crocuses under the leaves by the street.



Another Montauk daisy is coming back to life near the driveway.



Golden Jubilee at the birdbath is that beautiful purple that will turn lime green as it warms up. This one was self sown.



I planted all eleven of the penny nandinas. One was tossed into the woods. Five went into the beds behind the house. The other five went into the shrub island near the meadow. They all look sad right now, but each had fresh growth under the cold damaged leaves. One was suckering all around the edge of the pot.



I also planted out my cabbages. The carrots didn't germinate well, so I will probably wait until fall to try again. The peas didn't sprout either. I sowed the other half of the pack in place and covered the bed with plastic. The 8 plants in the background are Foster Hollies. They were a penny each too. The leaves are all brown, but the pith is still green. I'm going to wait before declaring them dead. Three tea olives were also part of that bunch. I've got them in part shade near the hydrangea bed beside the driveway.



Everything in the hoophouse and the 2-liter containers got a drink of water. I disturbed a couple of stowaways in the hoophouse.





It's 48 degrees and still sunny. I'm done. I need a nap.

Blooms

Yesterday, it seemed everyone on my sidebar was posting blooms for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. I've never participated before. During my lunch break, I searched the yard for blooms. I found two things, aside from pansies and violas. Those aren't my favorite flowers and I only have a couple of each.

The red camellia is managing to put out new blooms even through the cold and rain.



Two tiny crocuses were sporting blooms. Neither have been captured while fully open.



That's it. Several daffodils are threatening to bloom. Maybe by the middle of next week they'll be open. The buds are nice and swollen. They just need a little more warmth and sunshine. The next 6 days might give it to them.



More snow in that forecast just as I start my first vacation of the year. If I don't get it in now, I won't have another chance until after July 4.

It's currently 28 degrees and sunny. If my dad isn't able to get one of the two monster chainsaws repaired by Thursday, I'll be planting my peas, cabbages, and carrots in one of the two raised beds. I'll just have to wait until mid afternoon when the ground is thawed. They'll be protected with cloches. They've been sprouted in the hoophouse for a couple weeks now.

Snow More.

The snow is melting quickly. The roads are nearly completely clear. It's 36 degrees and sunny. There is a cold wind blowing from the West.

Friday, I got the strings laid out for one of the lower potager beds.



The hoophouse hasn't been bothered by snow, ice, or wind.



The gully still has plenty of snow.



The stream is a great source of water for the birds.



I noticed on Friday that I had poppy seedlings in the meadow.



There's lots of standing water everywhere. The soil is saturated.



The camellia shed all her blooms.



Another crocus has bloomed. When the sun hits it, it will open.



I'm off tomorrow. The forecast is for sunny and 47 degrees. I'll spend part of the day removing the leaves from the meadow bed. I need to mulch them and respread them. I'm hoping the sunshine next week will cause more poppies to sprout along with whatever other seeds remain.

After it rained...

Gorgeous day. Simply stunning. It's still windy, but it's 61 degrees and sunny. All this week, we'll be tempting frost with near freezing lows and 50-60 degree highs. More rain at the end of the week. I can live with this.

Sprouts.









The tea olives are blooming again by the front door.



Even the heucheras are putting out new growth.

Back to Work

This time, it's not in the yard. I've got a meeting this morning at 10:30am with a new client for the project I bid on a few weeks ago. I'm ready to work. It's been a long break. At least I got lots done in the yard. I could have used another week, but not having worked since Thanksgiving, funds are running low. The money will be nice. I'll still find a way to get outside an hour or two each day between now and the end of March when this one will be due.

In case you're curious, I build architectural models. I have a degree from UNCCharlotte in Architecture. I graduated in 2000 after 6 long years of no sleep, too many cups of coffee, and a lot of learning. In May 1997, I went to work for a model maker part time. I really enjoyed the work so by the time I graduated, I had no plans to become an architect. Instead, I found that working with my mind and my hands was a better path. In October 2004, I left that company and started my own. Here are some examples of work I have done in the past.

Yesterday was a very good day for playing in the dirt. In the basement, I had started seeds for Yvonne's Salvia, Zinnias 'Purity', hot pink trailing petunias (collected from my own plants), and an assortment of tomatoes. Last fall, I started a few varieties of echinacea and rudbeckia. They have been in the hoophouse all winter and really haven't put out much growth. I still transplanted all of them to individual containers and put them back in their sheltered homes until spring. The indoor seedlings were also transplanted into single containers. They're under lights right now since a sudden hard freeze or frost would send them into the netherworld. I'll need to make a new inventory list of all my plants during the coming week.

I did not transplant the tomatoes. I want to wait until they have at least 2 true leaves on the seedlings. I need to add a little more soil to the container they're in. This will allow them to put out more roots along the buried stems. Not sure where all of those plants will go. I haven't even begun to germinate the cherry varieties yet. I might wintersow those and hope for the best.

In the yard, I found several new crocus bulbs blooming. These are in the perennial bed. Last spring, I was already cutting grass at this point so I probably mowed them down before they had a chance to bloom. There's foliage all throughout the bed. I can't wait to see what else pops up over there this year. On the side slope, a single periwinkle bloom caught my eye. I'll have to get a picture later this afternoon when it's open again. For now, here's the crocus.



Last night, the forecast was for early morning snow. It did rain a little during the night, but now the sky is clear and the sun is peeking through the trees. It's 34 degrees.