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Cottage Gardens

Signs of Life!

13 years ago

Got outside today and I can see signs of life in my zone 4/5 garden from under the snow. I was hoping to see more of my early spring bulbs start to show their little leaves, but nothing yet there. The perennials starting to show new basal growth already though are: bleeding hearts, sedums, violets, heucheras, coneflowers & daisies. Need to get my dog/snow fence up this week so all the new growth doesn't get trampled by my brute of a dog!

Temps are still quite low here, the average over the next 2 weeks is expected to be 40F (5C) degrees. It's 34F(1C) right now, but there is a definite feeling that spring is in the air.

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Comments (6)

gardenweed_z6a
13 years ago
I spent some time yesterday raking dead leaves & other debris out of a couple flowerbeds and discovered new growth on last year's winter sown agastache, baptisia, centaurea, columbine, cushion spurge, Echinacea, lupine, Montauk daisy, sedum & gloriosa daisy. Tulips are up in one bed and there are snowdrops, daffodils & crocus poking their heads up in another. I gave the Japanese sedge and fountain grass their March haircuts and cut back old stems/leaves on the kniphofia. As chilly as it was, it still felt wonderful to be outdoors puttering in the flowerbeds as opposed to inside looking out the windows at a winter landscape. I even filled the lop-sided birdbath!
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cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
13 years ago
Happy first day of spring! We are ahead of you a bit here in 7A. Daffodils and hyacinths blooming. Some early magnolias have popped, but not mine yet. Temps hovering around 50s/low 60s except for Friday which was low 70s (such a tease), but due to be colder this coming week. Still, you are right-spring is definitely in the air.
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newyorkrita
13 years ago
It's cold here this week. It was lots warmer last week, spring or no spring. Even had a dusting of snow this morning. I am in a warmer zone than you but even so, not much is going on in the garden here. I don't have patience though. I want the garden to grow already.
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ianna
13 years ago
It's going to snow this Wed. in Toronto. So I'm back to boots again. Couldn't stand the cold for much longer so I went to a giant garden show this weekend in Toronto. It was fantastic! Very well done. Trees, brooks, ponds, flowers - all under one roof. At least it gave me some boost enough to last another couple of months of cold weather.
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bev2009
13 years ago
Just popping in to say I too worked in the garden today, clearing out two gardens. I'm excited my sea holly is green...I don't think it really died back. Last year I wintersowed it, so I am hoping for some blooms this year. The daffodils have nice buds and there were lots of other plants just popping up. However, we to are suppose to have more snow later in the week, ianna, so I feel your pain.
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organic_kitten
13 years ago
Spring is really in swing here in Alabama...I just know we have a killer frost coming yet, but the azaleas are opening up, the roses have budded, the bridal wreath spirea is about halfway bloomed and there are huge snowballs in the Chiinese viburnum that will be opening soon.

I found zinnias that had self sowed last year popping up...Spring is on its way to you. It won't be long now.
kay
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