Midwinter itch: crocus

I think the most important flower for any garden to have is the first one to bloom each spring.  And the earlier it can do that for me, the better.  I am a woman who can barely tolerate winter and by February I just about lose my mind.  So having some perky little crocuses appear in March is akin to having the heavens part and a choir of angels sing.  You'd better believe that if I live where there's winter, I will always have crocuses planted.

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Flowering Branches

Is Winter dragging on a little too long in your corner? It is in mine. My latest coping mechanism is forcing flowering branches, via this tutorial from my friend Jennie at Straight from the Garden. It is saving the day!

garden marker

Love these upcycled garden markers from orphaned silverware by monkeys always look. You know, for those with dirt of their own.

pockets for plants

I love the idea of planters that make use of vertical space. (And don't require horizontal space, because all of mine is either cluttered with stuff we don't want the toddler to reach, or within the toddler's reach) These by Maruja Fuentes are ingenious. (Via housemartin)

the perfect bouquet

I think the texture of sweet peas and peonies together is so perfect it hurts. The peonies here are this close to budding. I can't wait!

Spring Gardening

To further cultivate our inner gardening nerds, we stayed up late last night watching Martha's Spring Gardening. I was glued to the screen, so tangible is my longing to get my hands in some good dirt.

Along those lines, this gardening post on apartmenttherapy also makes me happy. (MSL image from there)

Gardens of the World

We netflixed the documentary series "Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn" about 4 years ago, and we couldn't bear to send it back, so we bought it. Every Spring at the first sign of crocuses we whip it out and watch the episode on spring bulbs. Are we garden geeks? Maybe. Are you?

I'm also an Audrey Fanatic. Hence my excitement over my birthday present to myself.

Oh Peony

image by twelve22

The first place the Mr and I lived after we were married was a miniature white house owned by a cute older couple: Walter and Hazel. Hazel loved peonies, and a full third of the large garden plot was devoted to them. Thus I have a large and sentimental spot in my heart for peonies and was happy when this catalog landed in my mailbox. It' s always nice to humor my unfulfilled inner gardener. Still longing for dirt of my own!