Spring Fever

At the end of March, beginning of April my family ended up with the flu for the second time this year. Needless to say I pretty much missed Easter this year since it was so early. Every one is feeling much better now, but the weather doesn't seem to be co-operating with my spring fever. It has once again turned cold, and  we are getting all the spring rains and flooding now. Clean up has started , but I usually don't start planting until at least Mother's Day. We always get late freezes! I've picked up some seeds and started looking through some of my gardening journals from previous years.
I started these journals when I was new to gardening, and have to say they were a huge help. I kept records of what I planted, their care , plant names, tips from magazines, and if they survived in the area they were planted... You get the idea.
For the most part I think I have more garden clean up than planting to do this year .
Since I can't actually get out and start my gardening quite yet, I joined a couple seed swaps in anticipation. It's an international swap, so maybe I'll get some thing uncommon for my area.

I found a photo taking gardening tip in" Better Homes and Gardens" (July 2007),so of coarse, I had to experiment...the tip was to take a picture of your flowers at dusk instead of bright sun light for better color.
The photo on the left was taken during the day, and the photo on the right was taken at dusk! Wow!! What a big difference.The photo on the left was not photo shopped at all...in fact this is a photo of the original photos side by side in my photo album. ( Guardian Blue Delphinium Perennial .)

I love these stepping stones...we spent a day painting them at this really cool ceramic shop.Once you paint them they fire them and you go back and pick them up. It was really fun to see the dull colors you painted with turn into these bright works of art.
The photos on the bottom of the page are of May Night Salvia when I planted them...

Ok this blurry picture is of the same Salvia , but this photo was taken the following summer. You can see a huge  difference and how large they grew in one year. Stunning, lots of compliments from the neighbors.

Seed Swap

My neighbor let me borrow her "Chicken Soup for the Gardeners Soul" book, and I loved the heart warming stories. When I borrowed it, I couldn't image what sort of stories they would have about gardening, but I was pleasantly surprised! I'm thinking to copy and include one to send along with the flower seeds. The best advise I've gotten on gardening so far has always been from other gardeners.