Oh my, us gardeners are a sad lot indeed these days. Judging by the comments on my last post and what I’m reading on Facebook, it seems like everyone is feeling the pain of some very confusing spring weather. Sad as it is, I’m taking a lot of comfort in knowing that I’m not alone in my frozen little world (see this, this and this).
I’m also taking comfort in knowing that I’ll be escaping it a bit. Late next week I’ll be heading out to California for California Spring Trials, where the horticulture world shows off it’s latest, greatest and secret new releases. I’ll be traveling with a group from the National Garden Bureau as one of their NGB Plant Nerds driving up the California coast stopping at nurseries and growers along the way. I’ve gotten a glimpse at the schedule, and it’s pretty packed, so it’s unlikely I’ll be writing blog posts while I’m there (although there will be many after), but I will do my best to update things on Instagram and Facebook as much as possible. Make sure to follow me there!
I’m very excited to see some sunshine and a temperature above 40, but the timing is challenging for my ongoing seed starting, which I’m long overdue on updating you on this year. I started sowing seeds much later this year and given the weather that’s looking like a good decision. But at this point I have ageratum, foxglove, three kinds of thunbergia (I guess I couldn’t decide), tomatoes, peppers, Nicotiana and parsley all under lights and by the end of the weekend I’ll have many pots of sweet peas going. And Mr. Much More Patient will be left to care for it all. I have a feeling we’ll be doing a lot of Facetiming so I can see what needs water and how the lights need to be adjusted. Little does he know that I’ll be asking as much about the seedlings as I will be about the pets.
I’ve mentioned here before that I love listening to podcasts, especially when I’m working in the garden and I recently found an excellent new one to add to my library. The Sodshow Garden Podcast is simply Irish garden designer Peter Donegan interviewing interesting gardeners. It make take a little bit to get accustomed to Donegan’s Irish brogue, but the conversations are casual, often funny and extraordinarily interesting.
If you’re viewing this from the home page, you’ll note that it seems like it’s an odd time for iris to be blooming (see photo above). Don’t worry, they’re not. There is just simply nothing pretty to take a picture of in the garden right now for a big photo, so I went back to bright and beautiful from last year.
What’s it like in your garden right now? Is there anything garden-related you’ll be doing this weekend?
5 Responses
I’m with Lisa from Greenbow. Hoping midweek it is warm and dry enough just to walk atound. Still a lot of snow from last week.
We’re having an unpredictable spring in Georgia also. The warm weather in February made me cocky- I now have several dozen stocks beginning to bloom, 4 dozen tomato also beginning to bud and bloom, peppers and snapdragon just behind. And we’re expecting damp and/or freezing temperatures the next few nights. I may have to pot up again to survive the next week or two. When will I learn?!
Not much going on here garden-wise. The weeds aren’t even growing. It has been too cold to do much. Maybe the middle of this week I can “do” more outside. It is supposed to be more spring-like. Have fun in CA.
OH, have fun in sunny California. I will just have to be satisfied with my seed starts.
Been outside as much as possible this week before the cold rainy weather comes this weekend. We have a stream in the backyard and have been clearing out a lot of junk trees and honeysuckle so we can plant some more attractive things along the bank. Already have some Vitex. Panicle Hydrangeas a Curley Willow and a Doublefile Viburnum.Have another Willow variety and a Pegee Hydrangea to plant next week. The weather looks much more springtime then so I am sure it will be very busy. Have a great time in Sunny California.