First day of spring?

The sun was out and temperatures crept up to the fifty plus range, so I did what every self respecting suburban boy does when the bad weather breaks. I washed the cars. Donna was pleased, clean cars and an industrious husband are far more respectable than a spouse who shuffles around the yard looking for crocus sprouts, but I couldn’t avoid poking around in the crusty flower beds. Here’s the one right next to the front walk.

spring garden cleanup

The ugly reality

It was time for the trash and dead banana plant carcass to disappear so that there will be room for spring sprouts.  Sure it’s early, but I think everything there will be fine even with a couple more freezes.  I feel much better now.

spring garden cleanup

A fresh new look

Sorry, but I can’t help putting in one more winter aconite and snowdrop photo.  Sure it’s the same two inch plant from an earlier post, but in case you didn’t notice, the subtitle for this blog is “more than you ever wanted to know about my garden”, so to keep it honest I go for the overkill.

snowdrops and winter aconite

Shoots and flowers coming up to make spring a thing

A low of 20F is forecast for later in the week and winter hasn’t been completely crushed,  but I’m going to call this past weekend spring (even if it’s just really really early spring).

Next I should consider cleaning the hellebore bed, it could use some attention too.

spring garden cleanup

More of the ugly reality

The pussywillow at the end isn’t waiting so I better get on it, but at least for now the winter grime is off the cars and a couple plants have some breathing room.

spring pussy willow

Hope for spring

 

Breaking the back of winter

We might be getting close.  It’s still winter, but based on the strength of the sun and melting snow, I’m going to call it late winter.  To me it matters.  If it wasn’t for the low of 17F that’s sitting in the weekly forecast I might even say it’s early early spring…. but not yet.

Winter Aconite (eranthis hyemalis) has joined the ranks of flowers braving the cold.

winter flowers

Yellow winter aconite alongside the first snowdrops

 

The cyclamen coum are trying to make a go at it, but really get no respect from the kids….. Actually I have to say they are pretty conscientious about being careful, but when it’s 25F and windy and they have to clean up, things get tossed about a bit.

cyclamen coum

The first of the Cyclamen coum.  You wouldn’t think a cyclamen would want to brave our winters…

hamamelis pallida

Witch hazel (Hamamelis pallida)

The witch hazel is still going strong.  I bet it could use an evergreen background to show off a little better, but I would first need evergreens for that

The hellebores still have a way to go,  I wouldn’t call this a vision of spring just yet, but there’s hope.  With March coming maybe I can start cleaning this mess up.

winter hellebore foliage

The attractive winter foliage of a Hellebore in Pennsylvania in February.