Dirt is what you find on kitchen floors, I hope you meant soil Trisha ;)

Blooming today, Eranthis hyemalis Winter Aconite.
A lit' cheating here, these were purchased late last fall from the Veseys sale too. Will plant them in the ground when they die down.

Still lots of that white stuff to melt in our neck of the woods. At least the sun is shining.

Sharon

Hi everone
This morning I shovelled for 3 hrs.-HEAVY and WET. Hb had to use the combination hoe &front end loader almost all day to move the snow from our driveway and the neigbours. We now have snow banks that are taller than the hoe. SOME APRIL FOOLS--HA HA HA I'M NOT LAUGHING-It has been rainy-misty all day and it is still happening .They say we will be getting sun and warmer... right and summer will come too!
Some days are more challenging than others and today was definitly one of them. I'm all pooped out and need a glass of wine and my bed so until next time.....
Take care all Lois

Lois, I empathize with you! We lived in Petawawa many moons ago and I well remember the piles of snow that were well over my head. Driving on our street and into our driveway was like driving in a tunnel. And we still had deep snow at Easter. However once it warms up it's gone fairly quickly and the growing season was longer there than here. We're limited here with the possibility of frost in any month.

Our "islands" of soil are getting larger so I'm hoping for no more snowfalls til September. Hope to start actually gardening in a month or so.

Lois, sounds like you guys had worked so hard on that dang snow! Let's soon all hope for a meltdown, it's coming real quick here now, it just has to be!

Sharon, that bench is looking lonely and cold, lol

Terry

Sharon, You have less snow that us. I can't even see the tops of my benches yet. Last year I had first crocus' at the end of April.....I wonder if that will happen this year. Melt Melt Melt.....

Luckygal, we are not really limited here unless you try to grow out of zone plants that take a longer season. Yes we can and have gotten a frost in every month of they year. However most plants can take the summer frosts and bounce back. Unless of course you grow a lot of tenders then you have to watch for frost warnings and throw a garden blanket over them. The only thing I lost to mid summer frost were beans. After that I covered them, or grow them in the greenhouse. I have lost more plants to mice than I have frost.

Sierra

Here's one of my first rose seedlings of the season to bloom, it's nothing too terribly special, though is a nice apple blossom pink and long lasting, this flower is now a good ten days old.

{{gwi:736033}}

Terry, your rose seedling is beautiful!

I saw a poplar on Wednesday that was actually budding out.

Supposed to be 15 on Monday. Here's hoping!

Okay, it sounds like SPRING is really upon us! The forecast for the coming week is now looking so much more improved with temps that will later push up to 13c or so.

GOODBYE SNOW ... HELLO GROW!

Hi everyone I guess last time I sang "here comes to sun" a little too enthusiastically? and am hesitant to sing it today---however...... Yes the s... is melting at last. The driveway is a nightmare day & night.
Terry your rose is beautiful- I can almost smell it . What kind is it? IS THAT A PRESENT PHOTO FROM OUTSIDE!!! I 'm envious.
Watching the weather report it looks like southern ontario is in for the nightmare this time--I'll say sorry now as we've all had our share of late winter snow this year I say this but my sister in London says for the first 20 yrs of her life It snowed here on her birthday-April 7....soooo since she's 60+ Maybe I'll just live in the greenhouses a little longer and smell the spring flowers there!
take care Lois

Today we've had awesome weather and its suppose to stick around for a whole week. Whooohooo!

I brought up all the overwintering pots of perennials to the greenhouse and will most likely take out the daylily seedlings out tomorrow.

I really need to get a pair of rubber boots, its muddy out there!

Sharon

My cotoneasters and Thunderchild crabapple are budding! Huzzah! Unfortunately my veggie garden area is still pretty well totally frozen.

DH and I have run away from home and our cold zone 3 and are enjoying zone 8! Not hot but nice and sunny and no longer looking at snow and fussing about how I can't yet garden. In a few weeks we'll be home, the snow will be gone, and I can get to work... I think my back is aching just thinking about it! ;-) But I will be so glad to see plants sprouting.

What's everybody grumbling about? I broke my wrist 2 weeks ago on the ice. Now I won't be able to garden even if the snow DOES melt!

Zuni, I hope you have a speedy recovery!

Snow is melting fast, soon it will be gone :) ... though, looks like cool wet weather is coming, but who knows with how much the forecast is always changing!

Veggie garden no longer frozen!! Going to plant tomorrow! Whoo!

We've been blessed with great weather this week. The snow is disappearing in a hurry - still snow banks left, but everything between them is bare. I got a lovely surprise last night. On Sunday, I still had snow on the front flowerbed. That disappeared over the last couple of days, and I have tulips poking through the winter mulch already! They must have been growing under the snow. I sure hope the weather stays nice. I have Easter week off and I want to get OUTSIDE.
Connie

A couple of my beds are starting to bare off. There's green hollyhock foliage in one as well as daffodils and tulips poking through the mulch. Another has Dutch iris sprouting in it. The rest - well, there's still a foot or more of s*** on all of them. :(

Although we got 32cm of snow last week on top of what was already left, it had almost all disappeared. Put on my rubber boots last Sunday and had a walk around to see if I could tell whether my new roses made it or not and to check on the clems, etc. Was surprised to see so much green stuff growing already. The lilies are already 3 or 4 inches up, and to my delight, most of the roses look alive. Lots of pruning to do, but hopefully they will bounce back once it warms up. I did notice several of my clems along the side fence had been knawed off a couple inches from the ground. Grrrrr

Nice rose seedling Terry. My 2nd seedling had finally decided to start sending up more growth, and hope to see another flower soon. Hoping for something a little different than the 1st one.

The S**** is melting and drying up quickly here. I should be able to get into the garden in a few days to finish cleaning up from last year.
Lots of poking up from the overwintered potted lilies in the greenhouse today too.

Here is some Hen and Chicks on this Good Friday.

Happy Easter Everyone!
Sharon

Planted the usual cold weather crops yesterday. Did some cleanup today, but I've got a ton left to do.

Well, crappy cold snowy weather is set to return, suppose to get some very cold overnight temps ... I'll have to hill up and protect the plants that have sprouted forth next to the foundation, namely the clematis and lilies ... never plant lilies too close to the house for this reason!

Joan, regarding the above rose seedling, it seems pretty good and is soon to flower again. I have a few others that are looking rather decent.

Nice photo of the hen and chicks Sharon :).

Too early too soon!

{{gwi:736038}}

Terry

Wow Terry, you sure got some growth coming up on those lilies!

I was messing around in the garden today, cutting back some dead foliage. Not too much, I want to be able to walk tomorrow ;)

Yeah, we're going to get a short spell of cold night temps, but look at the forecast for the weekend! +17!

Smile, it's Spring!
Sharon

Here is a link that might be useful: Wainwright Forecast

Hi everyone Finally 2 days off.
Shazam- where do you live in Z3 that you're fortunate to be planting in the veggie garden?
Terry and Sharon -I envy both of you that you are able to get out in the gardens AND take photos of plants- Snow is still a plenty here on the gardens . Noticed some greenery on south side so will investigate- Hope the deer leave it alone!
Lois

SNOWFALL WARNING FOR THE EDMONTON AREA ... UP TO 20 cms in some places! ... CRAPPERS! That's gonna make things so mucky! ... but, we went into winter so very dry and probably need the moisture. Sharon, I hope this is just a quick blip and the mild weather quickly returns.

Lois, most of my beds are still wet and I have to walk pretty fast to avoid sinking, lol. Nothing much showing itself other than what's next to the house.

Terry

Went around the yard and garden yesterday to see what was happening. Irises are poking through their leaf mulch. Leaving it on for a while yet....haha. Only other thing poking up is that stupid fire weed! I thought I had got it all! This means war! Forget-Me-Nots are starting, a couple of Dianthus, Poppies and a couple of Daylillies. Lilacs are budding. Haven't seen any of my peonies yet but they are probably under the leaves too.

A squirrel was eating peanuts out of the birdfeeder today, the bunnies are brown again and of course the robins are back.

Just a reminder that we in Edmonton have had many a year with snow storms on the May long weekend so I am not too freaked myself.Besides, we may get a really dry summer!

Spring is in the air.

Ginny

The robins are back here too and it sounds like spring outside! The creek is open and the big pond at back is just about ice-free. :) That being said, there's still plenty of the white stuff around, but it's going fast. I also cut back some dead foliage today, and peeked under the mulch to see tulips and daffodils poking through. There's green hollyhocks (mentioned that before) and some dianthus and alyssum, and also a poppy that came up in the wrong place. In back, i can see heuchera foliage and --- some other stuff whose name just flew out of my head (always green under the snow.... Shrug. LOL).

Lois, I'm in Calgary. I have a south facing backyard and a raised veggie bed, so it thaws out quite quickly.

Bergenia, that's the stuff. Senior moment. :)

This song should cheer you up ;)

Here comes the sun (doot in doo doo).

Here is a link that might be useful: Here Comes The Sun

YAY...zone brrr has just coughed up some crocus, I found them on my garden walkabout this morning... 8-)..Jean

"Little darlin, It feels like years since its been here...."

We actually had sun for the last 2 days. Lots of crocus blooming in the front bed by the house. The rest of the yard still has snow though. Spring spring spring...SPRUNG.

"Here comes the sun......"

Marcia are you dancing to this? :))

Sierra dancin' dancin' dancin'.

Well, i'm sitting at my desk at the moment, but i did wiggle a bit. :) Do you think that'll get me some crocuses when i get home this evening? The Yellow Mammoths are traditionally the first. So far there's no sign of them - either that or i haven't looked in the right places. I love them - they're so BRIGHT! (Apparently i can't change the colour of that word to yellow, but you get my drift!)

Nope - guess i should have danced a bit instead of just wiggle in my seat! But i did pull the mulch away from the crocuses, tulips, daffs, and hyacinths in one bed because things were coming up a little misshapened under it. Will report on crocus blooms as soon as they report to me!

Nope you have to do the full dance or it doesn't work. I obviously did that dance right. :O I have alliums (purple sensation and mount everest) up about 6 inches by the house, tulips up about 4 inches and I noticed what looked like hyacinths up an inch or two yesterday...and of course a sea of crocus.

Sierra

Sierra, you will have to take photos for us of your early spring bloomers :)

My tulips are only poking up now ... the daffodils will take a longer, as these were only planted late last fall just prior to the ground freezing and hardly had a chance to root in, established bulbs will come up more quickly. Of course, they will be in full flower and fry and dry up in a few days when we get a hot spell of 30 C :(

Terry

What??? Sierra is dancing in her bloomers??? I definitely want to see pictures of that! LOL

Ohhhhh I think that would be kind of scary!!!! and cold! LOL :O

This year I hope to take more decent photos of the garden. This is just the bed by the house, my yard still has 2 ft of snow......

Sierra

Hi Guys, You had better watch it,singing that song- remember what happened to me when posted & sang it on march 27- SNOW SNOW SNOW- althou I think it's good timing now Sharon Marcia & Sierra. I did my first walkabout today after work and saw lilies,arabis .I'd dance with all of you but they're calling for rain/snow over the weekend---Save me!!!!
Marcia are you still coming to T.Bay on the 26th?
Driveway is finally dry and smooth again and the snow is going fast. Saw the robins last week& the Canada geese were in full arrival.
Take care Lois

Yep, coming on the 24th, actually. We were re-thinking it because my dad couldn't get tickets to the concert, but we decided to go anyway. I haven't emailed anyone else about it yet - was planning to do so on the weekend. If i don't have to be anywhere special on Saturday night this year, it won't be a real rush to the different greenhouses. Are you working on Saturday?

Marcia I'm off on the 26th so can join you that day to do the greenhouse shuffle.
So glad I didn't do the "here comes the sun" dance with you all 'cuss guess what I got SNOW late Sunday and all day Monday 6-8". It rained all day today clearing up this evening
Take care Lois

The white s*** (either word will do there) is forecasted for Friday and Saturday here. I'm hoping it stays mild enough to be rain, but if not, i hope we can stay ahead of it. We're leaving around noon. Same thing happened last year - we came home to a foot of it. >:(

This is tooooo funny I have to share.....

Last night we just got home and the 2 men neighbours were out across the street chatting....they were looking over at my snowy yard when we got out of the car. Then they spotted the bed of crocus up by the house....and started yelling that I even have flowers growing over here in the winter. Then they asked what they were and how we got them to bloom. LOL!!!!

We have been getting rain for the last several days, the snow is going down fast. It is a little colder this morning though. I can see the edges of more flower beds every day. Ya...

See what happens when I dance.....the opposite happens. :O

Sierra

Nature's dandruff is supposed to be coming down here as well, but it looks like we might miss the brunt of it.

I wish it would rain, everything's a dusty mess outside.

"Nature's dandruff" ... LOL, but rather true :)

Chilly blustery day, so unlike yesterdays balmy temps. Suppose to be -9C tonight, will again have to cover up the plants next to the house. Better temps coming, but will they stay? ... it's not long until May is upon us.

Don't you find that they sure can't forecast worth a crap? Just a week ago they were saying we were headed for a long stretch of warm settled conditions, I guess they were only meaning two days worth, lol. I also find that Global News often gives three rather different forecasts during any one particular day ... morning, noon and late night ... mmmm, let's just pull a forecast out of a hat!

Terry

Terry, its going to get cold here too tonight, they are predicting -11C on Friday night!

I plugged the heater on in the greenhouse and covered with frost blankets as well just in case.

Sharon

Sounds like the s*** will miss us now - well, depending on which forecast you listen to. Right now i'm listening to the Weather Network! LOL

Thanks for the heads up Sharon, that's downright COLD! It's very nippy out there today! What didn't freeze off last night I'm gonna have to be sure to cover up and protect!

I recall back in the 80's when the temps had dropped down into the -20C range at this time of the year. Roses that had wintered well, though had remained hilled up, these had been killed outright from the arctic blast. I had then thrown in the towel with roses that were somewhat on the tender side.

Terry

Well whatever Global Warming is happening, it aint happening here!

I know...-10 tonight. Hopefully everything in my greenhouse keeps warm enough. And thank goodness nothing really is up in the yard yet.
I brought in my OT lilies just in case. Some of them are a foot tall already. I'm not taking any chances on missing the blooms.

Shelley