Thoughts of Spring

What better way to start thinking of Spring than to see the Erlicheer narcissus in bloom, except, perhaps, the yellow crocus that was blooming last week! Crocus, and many other spring bulbs don't usually return for a second season of bloom in this part of the world, and are best treated as annuals. Sometimes they surprise you, though! Yesterday I saw a male Eastern Bluebird and I'm hoping his mate is nearby also. Next year I'll put a bluebird nesting box up in time! At the feeders right now are Northern Cardinals, Black Capped Chickadees, Ruby Crowned Kinglets and, of course, sparrows, and on the ground are Mourning Doves. In the hedges I hear Carolina Wrens - how can such tiny birds make so much noise? Yesterday also I saw a Red Shouldered Hawk, and the Cedar Waxwings are visiting in their huge flocks, stripping all the plants and trees in their path of their berries, including mistletoe.

Its that time of year when every available inch of space in the kitchen is filled with seedlings! I like to start seed indoors because when it does rain, it rains so hard that any seeds planted in the ground, end up in the creek at the end of the road. Right now I have seven varieties of tomatoes, all of which are supposed to be good for the hot summers we experience here: Keepsake, Sprite, Kewalo, Solar Flare, Solaret, Tropic and Sunmaster, along with Black Beauty and Rosa Bianca eggplant (aubergine), and some dill. Peppers are not yet started, and its way too early to start squash. I don't know where I'm going to plant all this - suppose I'll have to dig up more lawn again this year, and I like to plant vegetables and herbs in the flower beds and borders!

There is quite a lot blooming this last week of February, including the several varieties of narcissus, calendulas, hardy cyclamen, yellow bulbine, violas, Australian violets, several varieties of dianthus, and a glorious display of flowering quince japonica. Even a couple of rose buds are opening. The winter veggie garden now is providing collard greens, swiss chard, spring onions, and lettuce and spinach seedlings coming along well, and the herbs that have made it through winter are several varieties of mint, oregano, lemon verbena, cilantro, parsley, lemon grass, rosemary and shallots, and a bay tree in a pot.

I'm sure we'll have two or three more good freezes before Spring is really here, in between our 70F and 80F spells. Gardeners impatient for Spring are all out planting in hope, knowing that quite possibly disappointment will follow, and we'll all have to start over again!