Monday, March 9, 2009

MARCH MADNESS

Last Monday I stood on my porch staring at my garden. It was blanketed in about 8-inches of snow. This morning, one week later, I stood in the same spot admiring the daffodils.
The bluebirds and robin red breasts are back and my buddy the chipmunk came to visit, too.

Although many people make New Years resolutions, I prefer to make Garden Resolutions. My resolutions are part “To Do” list, part wish list and part cast-iron five-year plan.

In 2006, I began gardening with the goal of making the flowerbeds look great in mid April. I wanted to make a garden party for my mother’s 90th birthday in April 2008.

For two years, I planned, planted and pruned diligently with mid-April in mind. You can check out last April’s blog posts to see how my handiwork turned out.


This winter, I started thinking about what’s next...

Better paths and late season bloom topped my list but gardening on the cheap also ranked high.

I also plan to grow more veggies and be more diligent fighting the crows for my fair share of the produce.

So far, all that I’ve done is a bit of garden clean up and mulching. (Disclaimer: in order to spend more time on clean up and less on photographing the garden, the photos above are from past years in March, sorry folks.)

Other garden tasks will have to wait until next weekend. I’m off to NYC in the morning. While I’m away, please visit today’s blog du jour.

*** BLOG DU JOUR ***


Photo by Susan Donley

Rose gardener extraordinaire, Carolyn Parker always features really useful info and gorgeous photos on her website, Roses From A to Z. Now she has a blog called Rose Notes.

One of her first posts is titled RECYCLED ROSES and features gorgeous paper roses fashioned from interior design and gardening magazines.

It’s a must read!

13 comments:

Alison Gibbs said...

What a beautiful bluebird.
Off to check out Carolyn's beautiful rose
Alison

Ruth Welter said...

Hi Barbara, your garden is looking great...

Mine is not, since I'm in NY, as far along as yours but it is true, a week ago there was snow and bitter cold temps, now, the weather is milder. I was looking yesterday at my perennial garden and I can now see my Iris and Daffodils peeking up from the ground. It is a happy site isn't it??

Enjoy the warmer temps. That paper rose is gorgeous by the way!!!

Ruth

The Painted Garden said...

Hi Barbara,

Yeah - Spring has sprung in your part of the country and your garden is showing happy little faces in bloom.
Thank you for sharing the Rose blog.The photo of the paper rose made from magazine pages is lovely and I can't wait to visit.
Have a wonderful week.
Blessings,
Erin

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Beleive it or not, a week ago we had 8 inches of snow too! And now we have daffodils opening!

I am off to vist the blog du jour....

Mary said...

We are a few weeks away from daffodils here in NJ. I had to buy some at the supermarket today. I'll post the pics tomorrow. Your garden will look wonderful for your mother's birthday party, and I'll bet the menu will be delicious, too. :)
xoxo,
Mary

Unknown said...

Thank you for the beautiful photos of the gorgeous Spring blooms! I am off to check out "Rose Notes" now! Thanks for the link! :)

Julie said...

I am so glad Spring is here - I just wish it did not drop off an orphaned lamb that I have to feed every 4-6 hours! ha ha

FrenchGardenHouse said...

Your garden looks stunning! How many different kinds of Daffodils do you have again?? And you have Bluebirds, how lucky!
Hope you are enjoying your beautiful garden, sweetie.
xo Lidy

Anonymous said...

DEAR BARBARA,
BEAUTIFUL BLUEBIRD....I HAVE NEVER BEEN BLESSED, YET, TO SEE A BLUEBIRD IN PERSON...I WOULD PROBABLY BE IN SUCH AWE I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SNAP THE PICTURE.
CAROLYN'S ROSE WAS GORGEOUS AND I WILL GO TO HER BLOG.
I LIVE IN THE GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA....TUESDAY THE REDBUDS WERE DANCING IN PINK AND THE ORNAMENTAL PEARS WERE ABLAZE IN THEIR WHITE TUXEDO AND HYCANITHS WERE BOLD IN PURPLE.....WEDNESDAY THE TEMPERATURE CONTINUED TO DROP AND TODAY WAS SNOW AND ICE.
MY DAD'S ALMOND TREE JUST THREE YEARS OLD LOST ITS BLOOMS...HIS PEACH TREE AND APRICOT TREE FROZEN AND MY BEAUTIFUL TULIP TREE FROZEN.
THE TREES WERE FOOLED BY THE WARM WEATHER AND THEY WANTED TO BURST FORTH WITH LIFE JUST AS MUCH AS WE WANTED THEM TOO.
I ENJOYED YOUR BLOG
BLESSINGS
debbie

NeereAnDear said...

I so love these photos from last year... the bluebird is my fav .... the flowers are lovely... it is cold and rainy here today.... but the buds are peeping from their hiding places and robin red breasts are running around all over the place.... few more weeks and hopefully spring will ... well... SPRING!!

LOTS OF HUGS
JO

Sandy said...

Have a great time in NYC! Perhaps a next book from your fingers will be a gardening one? Thanks for the luscious link!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing that picture of a bluebird. I had never seen one before. They really are blue, aren't they?

Here we have kookaburras and wild budgies and cockatoos and rainbow lorikeets, but no bluebirds.

Kate

Barbara said...

The snow certainly cleared quickly but how pretty it looked. Is that a Red Cardinal I wonder. So vivid against the snow. What beauty.