I have to add that although I can't wait for all this snow to melt, I'm quite happy about the forced time-out. You see, I enjoy reading threads on GardenWeb, and one comment published a few weeks (months?) ago really inspired me to completely rethink a large garden bed that I was planning to build this Spring. It was about planting your garden so that it looks great from within your house. The idea (almost) blew my mind. Why did I not think/read about this before? I thought it was very relevant for areas with long winters such as ours because we can only enjoy it from the outside 6 months/year. There is so much snow in winter that we would need snowshoes to walk in the garden. So I thought about how to add winter color where I was planning to plant masses of perennials. As a result, my plan is now completely different from the original. I will instead add conifers with different shades of blues, greens & yellows, tall enough that we see them above the snow line. We're going to enjoy our garden so much more this way! And I'll plant my dreamy drifts of perennials elsewhere... :)

I totally agree with Rosefolly, you are surrounded with beauty. That is a record 12 in a row, wow! Good to know there are fishes there. I was wondering and kinda curious. It is fun to catch and release esp using fly fishing...lol. I try doing that I got myself all tangle up or getting snag in trees behind me. I don't do fishing much but Jeff does the same thing as a sport. And my husband remind me that I hook myself..lol okay, that only happens once. jin

You had hail to contend with, and I'm sorry for the damage it caused to your hostas. Even though I was outside til 1 a.m. frantically putting up stakes, cutting up garbage bags, and taping them to the stakes to save my hostas and heuchies from the ravages of the idiot "landscape workers" spraying Roundup right next to my garden, they STILL managed to get weedkiller on my beautiful heuchie Frost, leaving it with numerous brown spotted ruined leaves. As my friend Chris and I labored out in my garden today, potting up my hostas and heuchies in fabric grow bags, we were astounded to see the damage to Frost (and some brown spots on my gorgeous hosta Royal Tiara) spread before our very eyes, the brown areas getting larger. Hosta Royal Tiara before spraying Hosta Royal Tiara a few days after spraying Heuchie Sugar Berry a few days after spraying

Love your canna trolly popmama! That was a very smart thing to make! I wasn't aware that canna's could be overwintered in the garage. I thought that was too cold. They are sun lovers too, aren't they? Popmama, I feel like my neighbors must think I am crazy. They must wonder how I can spend so much time in the front garden (which is getting bigger) and wonder how I could possibly be taking pictures (again) of plants! I think you are very dedicated to your canna's and I understand perfectly your moving them in and out of the garage! Nicholsworth, I just noticed Hush Puppie beginning to sprout in my garage. (I had a talking to it. I said "what are you thinking!!!! It's freezing outside! Stop growing!" In regards to your hosta that are showing signs of life, I would hold back on watering unless you know for sure they are dry. Some of mine have several inches of growth, and I have not watered any one of them! Nicholsworth, that is quite a limb that fell. I am glad you had minimal damage. Nicholsworth, I don't know what to say about your canna and elephant ears showing life. My mother-in-law used to say "where there is a will, there is a way." I really didn't like her saying it at the time. I am sure you will find a way to deal with your plants. My elephant ears were bare rooted. I hope they are not awake as yet. I had better go and check . . .