Hi Nick...Just in knowing that spring is right around the corner is mentally refreshing. I agree with everything in your post, and it's nice to have others in the same company on this forum.
Today is just a raw day outside with freezing rain. There was a multi-vehicle accident around the road from me, where I normally drive in the morning. I was so thankful to get home safely and retreat to look over my seedlings coming up. I needed that visual reminder that warmer and brighter times are almost here. I'm already picking cilantro indoors, my eucalyptus seedlings have beautiful red stems, and the Jessamine plants have intoxicated my house with jasmine fragrance...what more could I ask for right now :)
...And three cheers to the Philadelphia Flower Show for uplifting our minds and spirit!

Around the corner? I've been convincing myself that it is Spring today. After all, we didn't get the ice and snow this morning. It just rained and it is a balmy 36 Spring degrees. I am going to order soil today or tomorrow to begin. The Sun is even out a bit.

There is a flock of red-winged blackbirds outside the window by my computer. Is this a sign that spring will soon be here, I hope, I hope, I hope????!!!!

Carol:

Red-winged blackbirds are good enough for me. Its Spring. I hope to be digging within a week.

I know just how you feel---this time of year I just can't wait to play in the dirt. As soon as I see some Forsythia I will stat pruning the roses.
I did notice a little purple crocus peeking through.
the other day we had what we call "the day of the Robins---Too many to count---it happens every year.
Have a good time at the flower show.
Be sure to get there EARLY------

Florence

I was just looking at the front flower beds this morning, itching to get outside and clean them up. They descended into chaos last year, and I'm determined to remedy that. Time to cut back the privet, too.

Maybe Sunday will be warm enough for gardening!

Well Sunday will be in the 40s around here, but later in the coming week should be time to do at least some gardening chores (I say chore, but this time of year getting to do anything outside in my gardens is fun.) 60 Degrees!
For the fun of it I ordered some raw peanuts to plant, and since I couldn't wait to get them in the ground I put a couple in a clear jar with potting mix, and Yay one of them is shooting out some roots. It seems the worse I have spring fever the sillier things I try to plant in the house.

Waiting For Spring
~Nick

I think I will pass on Spring today (brutal winds and cold). However, my first load of soil is coming tomorrow. So, I will be ready to go at any sign of near-warmth.

By the way, at 7 PM tonight on one of the local Philly channels, there is a special on the garden show.

Weather Channel says 70 degrees in SE PA on Saturday.

I keep on telling myself that spring is coming early. Everytime I watch the 5 day forecast I keep telling myself they are going to show all 55-60 degree days! Sometimes I go out and say " Hey--it's pretty warm today!" Then I look at the thermometer and it says 38. Which I guess is pretty warm when the day before probably had a wind chill that made it feel like -19!

I love to look at pics of summer gardens here in the gallerys. I makes me remember what summer is like when the all the flowers bloom! HURRY UP SPRING!

I was out early this morning--no wind and 30s. It is supposed to be in the mid to high 40s the first 3 days, mid-50s Thurs, 60s Friday (rain), and 70s Saturday. I might try to dig a bit today if the wind stays calm.

I gardened on Sunday! Just for a little while, but it felt great.

One of the front beds is now cleared of dead weeds, and I've decided to plant forsythia in it.

After clearing the weeds, I walked around our property with my mother to check on the tiny forsythias planted last year. They all look happy, covered with buds.

I am on my way out to get my shovel to dig some holes.

I just got my Mills Magic Mix for my roses and have my first load of soil waiting. Its Spring.

Do you like Mills Magic Mix? I tried it one year, and I think it was okay for the roses, but the dogs wouldn't leave it be. They'd lick up the mulch to get at it.

Just got in. First time digging this year. Whoa is me! Whoa is me!

Dicentra, I LOVE Jasmine!! Lucky you to have that wonderful fragrance!

Ok, Nick, what did you buy at the flower show!!!
We want a full report! LOL

wolfe15136:

This is the first time I will try Mills. I read a lot of good things on the roses thread so I thought I would give it a try. My dog has been trying to pick a fight with the rose bushes. He captured one on his ear flap and I had to rescue the rose bush. He is always on a leash so I should be able to keep him from the Mills.

i am so looking forward to this week/weekend. the 5 day forecast is exciting.

i too just ordered my black gold. i'm building a new raised bed and then i have to reconsider the common side of my property as we both have dogs and they pine for each other through the fence. my new pup digs the heck out of it, eats my plants, ripped out every tag. it's such a beautiful bed too when it's in bloom and a part of it is a memorial garden and this dog is just destroying it.

dicentra, that ice was indeed awful, very deceiving. by the way, your jasmine, does it stay in pots, or do you plant it in the ground?

i'm going to the flower show on wednesday, cannot wait.

maryanne

Sorry, I don't have time before work for a full report. When I get back I'll see what pics my wife took of the gardens (I was stoo busy taking it all in to take pics), and I'll let you know what I bought :o) I'll tell you this much, it was just great to go in there and smell all the blooms, from spring bulbs, to jasmine.....All the Azaleas and Rhod. in bloom. Really makes you think spring is here already, Wow!
I'll give a real post later, Better get ready for work

Waiting For Spring
NIck

I posted a couple pic links for you. Sorry nothing too great, I don't have that good of a camera and we were too busy checking everything out to remember the camera most of the time.
I was actually disappointed with the bulbs they had to purchase. Nothing too out of the ordinary, plus they didn't really show the zones for some of them. So no bulbs for me this time, Oh well. I got most of my plants from a bonsai shop (mehansminatures.com) Some are for outside, others are for my terrarium: Dwarf Hinoki Cypress, Rhodohypoxos, Dwarf Cypress (different type than Hinoki), Dwarf Spruce, Ground Orchid, and Dwarf Stonecrop. I also got a really neat Iris Reticulata (blue & yellow)

http://www.geocities.com/nickb5/greeterfrog.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/nickb5/flowers1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/nickb5/moreflowers.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/nickb5/pigtailpalm.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/nickb5/primroses.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/nickb5/wow.jpg

This is going to be the perfect weekend for gardening!!

I had plans to see my mother tomorrow afternoon, but she had to cancel to help a friend move. As she was apologizing for cancelling, I was feverishly thinking "oh, goodie, more time to spend in the GARDEN!".

My gardening addiction has begun again.

I know, 70+ degrees today, and a good looking weekend to come!
I'm under the weather today, actually stayed home from work because of a sore throat that won't go away. The warm weather did get me motivated to put some more seeds into pots. Hopefully in a couple weeks I'll have some tomato seedlings.
Too bad I don't know any nurseries that are open yet, well maybe that's a good thing as far as my wallet goes :op
Does anyone have any spring bulbs in bloom yet? Mine are getting bigger and bigger, but no flowers yet.

Random Question: Has anyone tried any banana plants outside year round? I've seen one type in a couple of my catalogs that says it is good down to zone 4. I'm tempted but not ready to spend the $29 and have it die over the winter.

All I can say is WOW! I spent just about the whole day outside. Evetything from finishing building my raised bed, to removing all the leaves I used to mulch my beds, to moving finished compost, and mulching the leaves for new compost to come. I'm sure I'm not the only one who took advantage of the gorgeous day. It is so fun to uncover sections of the garden and find green! And yay I had my first bloom of the season, a lonley crocus. Just had to post so thank god for the great day, I got so much work done outside, but it didn't even feel like work

Deathly Sick With Spring Fever
~Nick

What a FABULOUS gardening weekend!

We had rain on Sunday, but I was outside anyway, hacking down the 60-foot-long privet hedge. It went from 10 feet high to about 18" high. And I cleaned out the bed behind it.

The garden looks like someone loves it now.

Perfect timing. These past days were just perfect and I finished today. I moved 12 cubic yards of soil (mixture of aged mushroom compost, horse manure, and native soil) into my new rose terrace. It is now full and ready for the planting of 7 HT roses. I also managed to dig one huge hole for an Austin just outside the terrace.

Now, I can look at my orders and make the final selection of the ones I will plant in the new terrace. I still have two large holes to dig for Austins and then 12 smaller holes for my new minis. All will be done by the end of this month. My Hot Cocoa started leafing out. I hope the cooler weather will slow these fellows down so I can prune them and mix Mills for them.

Best of all, my Winter Daphne is blooming and it is just as fragrant as the one I had at my former home.

:o) Good to hear you both got some gardening done :o)
I did some more gardening after work today, just couldn't help myself. I had to move some bulbs that were popping up in odd places and had to move a mum (wanted to move it before it got too leafy) Just got a lot of rain which is needed and it didn't come until after the sun left, so good timing :o)

Odd Thought: Has anyone tried using fiber optics to bring natural light in from outside for seedlings? I'm already trying to use my 8 LED work light to help supplement my seedlings, at the very least it can't hurt.

Loving The Minute Of Light We Gain Every Day
~Nick

SPRING!

Snow...at least right now as I'm looking out my window. #*)%*#)(#)

Eh, I'm not going to let the cold weather get me down,
Its Spring. The weather isn't representing it right now, but still got the spring bulbs blooming to let me know the warm weather is on its way.
So yeah, SPRING!