Winter is Over

Winter is officially over.

View to the north off the back porch, aka veranda last February.








The spring daffodils were a brilliant and vibrant splash of yellow color in the island flower bed.
The new crape myrtles are full of leaves, the two pines have new growth, and the grass is green.
The weeds are flourishing too. Most of the seedlings I started in February have been a huge bust. The tomatoes wilted in the dry winds, the impatiens never came up, the alyssum sprouted and wilted. What a disappointment.
Not too discourage though, a few things are popping up. Marigolds (thank you Patricia for the seeds) are doing well.
The azaleas, daylily bulbs and other flowers in the island bed are flourishing. I also planted two daisy plants. As time and budget allows, more will be planted. I am going to rely on good and expensive nursery stock to establish some perennials.


View to the north off the back porch first weekend of April.










I refurbished two rectangular planting boxes, the dense foam type. The puppies, Jake and Bella (not that I mentioned any names...) chewed the edges down and I almost threw them away. I sawed off the gnawed lip and repainted the containers, they look brand new. Actually probably better than new. I used some of David's expensive zinc primer spray paint that he buys by the case. I planted dahlia seeds in one and coreopsis in the other. I did mark a D in the inside corner with a sharpie for the dahlia box but guess what. I don't know which is which! The "D" faded away. One box has three teeny tiny sprouts and the other has a multitude of sturdy sprouts ready to transplant into a flower bed. I wish I knew which seed was growing so well. I guess I'll discover the answer when they flower.

The garden is a challenge. Although I completed the Master Gardening course and passed the test my gardening is still hit and miss. If it grows, it grows, if it dies, it dies. If the crows eat the seeds, if the wind burns the leaves or if the heavy spring rains drown the sprouts, so be it.

Yesterday the sun was shining, the yard beckoned and I had an unexpected free afternoon to work outdoors. I weeded and trimmed. I mowed down the weeds. I mowed what bit of actual grass too. I took the dogs for a long long walk along the shore. What a pleasant day.
Last night, the rain started about 2 in the morning, a soft rain but it has been constant. The yard is muddy, the sky overcast and the dogs are content to sleep away the morning.

So progress on the sidewalk and tilling to establish more grass still awaits a sunny dry day when young strong backs are here to do the heavy work.