ME AND MY BLUE PARADISE!

It seems that winter has finally caught up with us.  We had blizzard-like conditions yesterday all day, which left  us with snow packed over glare ice roads, and some pretty frigid temperatures.  It's kind of a kick in the shins after the nice mild winter we have been having, but on the other hand - this is our normal - we should be happy to finally see it, this winter.

I made good use of the nasty weather - I spent time finalizing my seed order, which started with mainly vegetable seeds, but somehow grew to herbs, perennials and even a couple of perishable plants as well.

I believe I should be good to go, come spring.  With the established perennials I plan to dig up and transport from my old yard in the city, along with what I already have here on this property, and now what I have ordered, I should be able to create at least a honest start in my vegetable and flower gardens this year.

I want it all.... now! But establishing gardens and beds takes years of planning, hard work and just plain good luck.  After gardening in my other yard for 17 years, I was just getting to know the yard, the soil... and now I will have to learn all over again.

Every yard and every garden has a different environment happening in it -a different ecosystem.  Gardeners have to pay attention to things like soil type, water, drainage, sun, shade, pH, even snowfall - all the controls that can make or break a garden and the gardener.

I started a journal of my new yard last fall, and I will continue to journal this spring and every season following.  I learned long ago not to rely on my memory - it's just not that reliable when it comes to plants!

I am excited about a few new varieties that I have ordered from T&T.

One of them is Little Bluestem (Blue Paradise).  It is a grass that has silvery-blue foliage all season and then in fall turns a deep-wine colour.

Isn't this glorious?

The other varieties I am excited to try are the Bold Cheyenne Spirit Echinacea.  I have the traditional purple and white varieties in my garden in the city which I will bring here, but I have been dreaming of having a big enough space to try these lovelies.

And Lavender...

I have never had any luck with growing this Lavender - but I love it so much - love the colour of it's blossoms, and I love the scent.  So I am trying Lavender Lady again... maybe she will like this yard better than she like my other.

I am so fortunate that all the plants I have nurtured over the years are still available to me.  Our son bought our home in the city, and he is not wanting quite as many flowers as his mother - so I will be able bring a lot of my favourites out to my new gardens come spring.

There is nothing like staring at colorful blossoms to make one forget about the white stuff outside.

Hope you have enjoyed this taste of summer too...