Numb hands, warm heart.

This morning we finally woke to a dry day.  I don't remember the last time we had a completely rain free day.  After my oldest daughter had gone to school I took the Littlest Gardener to preschool wearing my gardening clothes (who wants to waste time changing clothes when you have a limited time to garden) figuring that the teacher and other parents had seen me enough times to realize that I don't normally dress this way.  I practically ran home not wanting to waste a second of the 2 hours of uninterrupted time I would finally have to work outside.  The grass/moss was so soggy I felt like I was walking on wet sponges, but then that's why I usually garden in rain boots anytime before May.  My gardening gloves didn't keep my hands warm for long since it was only 39 degrees when I got to work, my hands practically went numb.  But all that was okay because it wasn't raining and I got to work in the garden.

Real live actual sun!!

  I was able to prune the out of control Butterfly Bush back.  I never worry about timing when I prune it because I'm pretty sure it can't be killed.  All of the "winter interest" was cut back and the leaves that were forming a wet mat over the ground were finally raked up.  I found several stakes that I have no idea of what they are marking or what they were holding up, guess I'll once again be surprised this year when the plants show up.  One day I just might make a diagram of what is growing where, until then the excitement of discovering a forgotten plant is still fun.

 Dianthus I started from seed last year, I'd forgotten about it.  Hopefully it'll bloom this year.

 Agastache that never died back, usually in my garden it dies all the way to the ground.

 Lots of new growth on Irises and Daylilies.

 Clematis 'Little Nell' is a type 3 and will need to be pruned in early spring, I was too happy to see the leaf buds to cut it back.

 I thought I had noticed some fruit trees with buds on them recently when I was out.  Both of the Pear trees have lots of promising buds on them.

 Verbascum and Hollyhock that were started by winter sowing last year look good.  Hoping for flowers from them too this summer.

 Here is an example of how much moss we have around here.  It is growing on everything;  in the lawn, on paving stones, on houses, on trees, on everyone's roofs and anything else that's not moving.  This Dogwood tree has never had so much moss on it, but I have to say I like the character it adds.

 Some Primroses came home with the girls and I a couple of days ago and I can't wait to get them planted.  I ran out of time before I was able to get them in the ground, but just seeing them sitting in their pots on top of the soil added a much needed pop of color.

It's amazing what a little time in the garden will do.  I felt so much more energized after I finished, although it's possible that it was the chocolate that I started eating as soon as I came inside...