Dreaming of Spring

Last week, the temperatures warmed up to the seventies, and I began to think that perhaps spring would be arriving soon. And when the first daffodils started showing their blooms, I knew I had to capture some of that springness and bring it inside, showing them off in the cute flower vase my husband made for me.

Naturally, it has been in the twenties the past two nights. But I am hoping that Punxsutawney Phil was wrong, that spring won’t wait until mid-March. Here in northern Alabama, the average last frost date is between March 15th and April 1st. Which means it won’t be safe to plant new flowers and vegetables outside until after that.

So I have been keeping myself busy with other gardening chores. I have planted snapdragon and cosmos seeds inside, and they are hopefully growing well under the grow lights in my studio. I am about to move the bloodroot seeds back into the refrigerator for another 30 days, so they will be ready to plant at the end of March.

And then, because I am so impatient, and the weather should be nice over the next week, with temperatures in the sixties, I took the parsley plants I had grown from seed earlier this winter outside. They had become rootbound and needed more space. I have potted them up in wooden whiskey barrels in the back garden, and since they like the cold, they should be fine.

I also potted up some flowers I had started from seed this year and had moved into the greenhouse during the bitter cold. Into larger pots went the cardinal flowers, blanket flowers, and Sweet Joepyeweed. They are sitting nicely in the sun and should do well.

The birds seem to have spring fever too. My husband filled up the feeders, and all kinds of birds have been visiting. In their honor, I made sure the birdbath was full of fresh water. We will enjoy watching them frolic.

Here’s to spring - as soon as it can get here!