Hi Belle Isis -

Ooh, sawzall gardening - sounds like a great idea. Glad you mentioned the bit about having the upper hand for these first few weeks of spring - it's good to enjoy that while it lasts! I notice I'm usually so far behind that I can't really enjoy what I'm doing at any given time, always thinking of 12 other things I should be doing.

THis week, I started cleaning out some of the beds, moved a hydrangea preziosa that was too far forward in my little hill garden, swapping it with a large sedum matrona that had been behind it. In the process, I also dug and divided a dozen gaura, many of which are now potted up for the next swap. (Fingers crossed - I've read that they don't like to be moved.)

I yanked 2 sun-baked skimmia - they're in pots in the shade now, making up their minds about whether to live or die. They were in front of a stunning Helleborus niger, anyway, and now that's visible from the path to the front door.

I spent a lot of time walking around with a tape measure and graph paper, finalizing my new plan for more hardscaping in the back yard. I need to make the yard more engaging, draw visitors into it somehow, and I think a path to a seating area just might do that. I love laying bricks, but so does my husband, so I think I'll lay out the edges and let him do the rest. That'll free me up to do some more bed cleaning, or to plant anopther new area in front of the house.

I ran out of space in my compost system, so I've been hauling barrow-loads of it and dumping it behind shrubs for storage until it's needed. And, I started a garden blog!

So glad you are continuing this weekly thread!

Raked pine needles and pinecones (should have done that in the fall, oh well)
Mulched
Raked the moraines left by the snowplow off the grass and back into the driveway

Raked more of my driveway OFF my lawn back INTO the driveway (damned plow guy! (DH))

Expanded one section of garden simply lining it with stones, then started to fill it in with compost. Will till later.

Filled another bed with more compost

Picked up wind-blown tree-waste from the lawn

Went to visit the junk forum and made a new fence from a bunkbed (pix soon over there; just gotta get the hinges on!)

Tending my winter-sown jugs; sorting out those that have sprouted (!) from the rest.

More wintersowing ensues for annuals

Moved a section of stone-wall so we can get to the hose (what was I THINKING last year blocking it off like that?!)

Scooched down and watched my tulips grow for about a minute. (Nothing happened)

I'm not that 'official' of a gardener yet, so this is just what I can see needs to be done..

Yikes, mmqchdygg, you're making me tired just reading your post, lol! I admire your energy! I especially like when you watch your tulips grow, lol!

Well, since I'm still fighting off an illness that I've been dealing with for 6 weeks now, what I *would've done* might sound better than what I've *actually done* this week, lol!

What I *would've done*:

Finish raking leaves (that alone would take a week!)
Put compost/manure on the beds
Plant my peas
Bring out my potted perennials from the garage

What I've *actually done*:

Pulled out about 20 potted perennials from the garage, out of the 200 that are there, and that was just done 10 minutes ago, lol!

But I have been tending my winter-sown containers, and am still doing some sowing, so I'm not a total slacker!

Most importantly, I'm thoroughly enjoying my crocuses and snowdrops. They are glorious!

:)
Dee

Sawzall gardening works like a charm.

It sure does! Great for pruning or removing forsythias. *g*

I moved chopped leaf mulch around today-- away from my lupines, which are coming up (this'll be their second year, and the first in which-- I hope!-- they bloom), away from the strawberry plants, which stayed green all winter under the mulch. The mulch was relocated to my butterfly bush, which is looking awfully brown and dry. :-/ It was newly planted last fall, and up until January or so it still had greenish bits, so... I dunno.

I also pulled a few optimistic dandelions. The one complete taproot I got was 8" long!

Haven't gotten to any 'real' garden chores yet. Picked up so many sticks though. Also raked out some ruts where the phone company truck drove along the side of my driveway. My neighbor who is a septic system contractor got me 10 yrds of free wood chips and delivered them for me. (Note to self - keep in good with the neighbors!). I plan to start spreading these wood chips along the natural garden areas along the driveway (away from the house) on Friday. Used clippers to clip back the woods that is always encroaching on the driveway (have a very long driveway...) Planted some begonia tubers and caladiums in pots inside. Winter sowed Hollyhock 'Queeny Purple'. Finalizing seed list.

Raked.

Peeled back the daffodil leaves to try and find the emerging buds.

Today, I cut the 4x4 posts and the 2x10 lumber to make another raised bed in the back yard.

Wondered where I will get the loam for it.

Visited my seeds under the lights!

Thought about finishing up the raking from last fall, but built a much needed loft and some shelves in the shed ( finishing up yet another project from last fall).

raked some of the snow plow/blower residue off my front lawn.

Put handfulls of compost down and then poured some compost tea on the garlic that just popped up last week.

Brought out a few tropicals so they could catch a few hours of sun.

Sawed lumber, put together, and attached one of two gates on the two compartment compost bin I built last fall. Hopefully the other gate goes up tomorrow. It looks so much better than chickenwire held up with string!

Yesterday:

Turned over & hand-tilled about 30 x 5 feet of the new expanded space; decided it didn't need the 'instant' bed that donn suggested in the WS forum since it was new loam 2 years ago. The grass was remarkably easy to remove as it hasn't taken hold yet this season; I'll just toss some compost in there and mix it up when I get home from work tonight.

Working by the light of the Christmas lights these days since I work f/t and don't get home til 6pm...will have to move the WS containers tonight and expend the rest of the section (another 30 feet).

Much to do; so little time...

Took down all of the burlap structures around my new little evergreen shrubs. The tops had come off a week or two ago.

Pulled mulch away from the bearded irises so their rhizomes could get some sun.

Raked oak leaves off some of the beds and added wood chips where needed. It's so dry that I raised dust clouds with the leaves. I keep checking the weather map online to see if the rain will bless us.

Cut down the old growth from the Helictotrichons (blue oat grass) because they've started to show some growth. Left the old growth up for the various Miscanthus which aren't doing anything yet, just so there's something to look at.

Moved some wintersown seed containers out of the little unheated greenhouse and put them back on the porch. It was getting too hot in there when the sun was out (I moved them into the greenhouse temporarily when serious wind was imminent, but I left them there being rather lazy). Sowed a few more seeds but put them indoors (not hardy).

Put up a new birdhouse. No takers yet.

Washed windows, the better to see the garden and the birds.

Dragged some deck furniture out so I can have lunch outside on the deck. Not warm enough for breakfast yet.

Checked for peepers, finally heard the first song on March 29.

Claire

cleaned up exisiting veggie beds, added compost, tilled.

started removing sod for a new veggie bed

cleaned out perennial bed, peered at teeny green things sticking out of the soil and wondered what I'd planted where. (This year I label! Or at least photograph!!)

fretted over rhododendron, got advice from GW, attempted to salvage it

cleaned up six zillion fallen branches

turned over a bunch of compost in the cool new three bin system hubby made for me out of pallets

that's all I can think of... so much to do!!! Yay, spring!!!!!

Wow, you guys are ambitious! I just started today - tending the number of wintersow containers I have takes a bit of time, but I'm figuring out how to cut down on that a little.

I finally got the rake out today and started cleaning up the front beds, so my neighbors will have less mess to look at. I've pruned the roses - Honey Perfume is doing fine (second generation from a cutting - mother plant croaked, but it was planted too early in 04); Marmalade Skies took a harder hit, but is still showing new growth. The red rose I've forgotten the name of but almost killed has been making a good comeback for the last couple of years. Rugosas, of course, are fine - is it possible to kill a rugosa? Not that I want to know; I happen to love mine.

I had one tiny bulb bloom - think it's a scilla or a snowdrop or something like that - and one dandelion. Lots of birds hanging out, but plant-wise, it's still pretty quiet yet.