The End of March

Today is close to the end of March. The saying is for this month is "In like a lion - Out like a lamb". Well, how about this year it's "In like a lion - Out like a lion". March is usually our most unpredictable month as far as weather.

Today it is trying to snow. The temperatures are in the high 30's, low 40's for the morning hours. It will warm up to about 50 by mid afternoon. This snow will turn to rain.



But after this month comes April. This is the month when everything begins to pop. The camellia which is marginally capable of handling this zone, does well where I put it and every year looks fuller and nicer. It's quite an outstanding shrub. I keep it on the east side of the shed where the hot afternoon sun doesn't bake it and the winter winds charging from the west doesn't whip at it. Each year it blooms better than the year before. Definitely a happy plant that will start blooming in the next two weeks.

My most adorable alpine primroses are up and dancing now, getting ready to strut their blooms again in the next two weeks. Such pretty little things! They will need divided this year and I will get to stretch them out over a larger area. Yippie!

The snow has stopped now and the sun comes out. Such is March!


Memories come back of April of 2006, and finally putting in the last of the largest hardscaping we had planned for this property -- the patio. It's been almost two years now! Incredible. Would you believe we're still giving this patio it's finishing touches? Each year we do something else. I don't know yet if we will be putting in the path from the driveway to the patio or not. I'll see as time goes on.




The patio in 1007

Right now, I have all the evergreen shrubs fertilized. The azalea, rhododendron and camellia are also fertilized. The very early trimming, such as the Japanese willow, vitex, butterfly bushes, beauty berry, and grasses are all pruned and starting their spring growth. I've transplanted one of the two or three roses that need done, and planted one new one that hadn't broken dormancy yet.

When it's not nice enough to be out, I've been potting up my new roots and summer bulbs to give them a good start. Even though it's a bit cool outside today, it's not to cold for these little potted roots and bulbs and tubers to be outside on the deck to bask in the sunshine and get well watered. I've even considered putting up my little hothouse that I keep on the deck every early spring so these plants can stay outside even at night. I only use this for about 2 weeks out of the year or I will roast anything that's in it.

It's time to start getting ready to open the garden for the season. I still have to fertilize and prune the roses, but not yet. There's to many other things that I do have to get done right now. It's time and so far, I'm right on schedule.

Happy Easter to everyone who visits this journal.