Front Yard Flowerbed: December 1

Winter has begun to take hold around here.  I expect we’ve seen our last 60 degree day of the year.  Since the 1st of last month, the leaves have all come down and the dahlia bulbs have been pulled up and stored away for the winter.  The flowerbed is at rest for a few months.

The only color to be seen is in the evergreen bushes and the rhododendrons and even they look weary, ready for the restful season that lies ahead.

As for me, I’m looking forward to the garden catalogs that will soon make their way to my mailbox.  Winter is the season of garden daydreams.  

Invitation to Spring

Last night a thunderstorm came through and dropped some serious rain upon us.  It says a lot about our Winter that rain with temps in the 40s actually felt warm.  In a few short hours, Spring will officially have arrived.  We’ve got some sunlight to go with the day and I heard birds chirping this morning.  I am ready for some green in the landscape and glad that our last remnant of snow has finally melted.  I am looking forward to sitting in the front porch rocker with a good book and a glass of iced tea.

There are promising signs of Spring all over my yard, and I will be particularly happy to see blooms in this planter, which I’ve set out to enjoy the sunlight.

Until then, I’ll keep an eye on the green shoots in all of my flowerbeds.

I’ll eagerly anticipate the first mow of the season.

And I’ll welcome blooms on the lovely rhododendron bushes that frame the front steps.

March is a fickle month and there will surely be some more cold days before Spring really takes hold.  But the calendar is on my side as of today and soon enough I will sleep with the windows open and flip flops will be the only shoes that I need.