The plants don't mind the snow.

This has been a rather strange end of winter.  It seems to have gotten more and more winter like now that spring is almost here.  I think we've had more snow in the last week or so than we've had for the whole winter.  But, after many, many days of gloomy rain I really enjoyed seeing the snow.  At least it's pretty to look at and it wasn't enough to cause any problems getting around.  Today as I walked around the yard I noticed that the snow doesn't seem to be slowing any of the plants down, if anything most have really taken off growing.

 Helleobore Winter Jewels 'Cherry Blossom' has settled in really well and has lots of flowers.

 The fish were swimming around and enjoying the sun.  Hard to believe that a few hours before there was snow on the ground!

 Bulbs are popping up everywhere.  Tete-a-tetes are beginning to bloom and the squirrels haven't found these Crocuses yet.  That ball of roots is a Hosta looking for a new home.  It's even started growing!

 Spring is prime time in most of the backyard.  Things are really waking up.

 Ribes sanguineum flowerbuds are so close to opening.

 Two falls ago I planted 3 Fritillaria bulbs.  I was excited to see how many are coming up this year.

 Hellebore 'Mardi Gras Double' surrounded by wood sorrel and a Western Sword Fern.

 I found Epimedium 'Elfin Pink' blooming already!

 The path garden lit up by the sun.

And a walk out to the front yard reminds you that it did really snow last night.  But even out there the plants seem happy and ready for spring.

The weather this winter reminds me of the one we had a few years ago which was followed by a record breaking hot summer.  Either way, the plants don't seem bothered by it and really it is so pretty it's hard complain when it's followed by blue skies and sun.

All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.

A good weekend!

Finally dry weather and a free weekend coincided.  This weekend we got to enjoy our front garden after weeks and weeks of hard manual labor out there.  We had dry weather and we did see some sun but it stayed mostly in the low 50's.  We had fun plant shopping and planting when we got home Saturday.  Sunday my girls and I went to a plant sale where we found some more plants.  The Littlest Gardener and I planted Sugar Snap bush peas in the new raised bed, I planted Oriental lilies and gladiolas by the picket fence - only one bag of Dahlias left to plant now!  So fun to be digging small holes rather than shoveling loads of soil, gravel, etc...

 I already love how this little area is going to look.  I planted some Corsican Mint to grow around the stepping stones here.  It makes me hungry every time I smell it.  The purple flowered plant is an Erysimum or Wallflower 'Bowles Mauve',  I just love how long this plant blooms for.  I've also planted Agastache and a Lavatera to fill in the corner.  Lavatera is a favorite of my husband's and I thought the least I could do is let him help choose some of what will grow here since he did the majority of the hard work, usually he doesn't really mind what I plant.  Along the front fence (inside) I planted several different perennials that I hope will grow up through both sides of the fence.

 Just a few dwarf boxwoods for some evergreen color, I don't want anything that gets big because I plan to have lots of other flowers and grasses mixed in here.

 While I was out I noticed that the Muscari is finally starting to get flowers.  The Littlest Gardener has been asking when the Grape Hyacinths will be ready to pick.  We have so many growing that it is one flower I don't mind how many she picks.

 Crocus enjoyed some sun.

 Daffodils blooming in the shed garden.  Not too far from this area I planted more Tiger lilies.  They seem to do really well back here in the sun and close to Cedar trees.

 My new plants from the plant sale on Sunday.  I found Epimedium, Trillium, Drumstick Primula, another type of Primula, Tulipa turkestanica, Papaver rupifragum and another that I can't remember the name of.

 Epimedium 'Elfin Pink' has the sweetest tiny pink flowers.

While I was at the plant sale I got to meet Alison of Bonney Lassie and her husband.  It was a lot of fun to talk with Alison in person.  It's funny how much we knew about each other, not ever having met or talked in person before.  I didn't get to stay long as the Littlest Gardener was cold and done with plant shopping.  Look at the cute birds that Alison gave me, so nice of her.  I can't wait to see what she bought since she was just getting started shopping as we were finished.

This time of year I seem to have an ever growing chore list of what needs to be done outside.  For this week I need to finish pruning Clematises, sow more seeds both inside and outside, pot up some of my indoor seedlings and get some potatoes planted.  One thing not on our list this year - grass mowing.  Half our town was out mowing this weekend and happily for us we weren't one of them.
All words and photos in this post are property of A Gardener in Progress.