Spring Tangle

Beauty is exploding in the yard everywhere I look. The weekend was warm and wonderful, and we lazed around the neighborhood, dodging gnats and pulling weeds already. We live on a small block, only about nine families, and though we usually have a block party at the end of summer, someone decided to organize one for St. Patrick's Day, and it was a great way to start the season. We have really, really nice neighbors. I love watching the kids play four-square right in the middle of the road.

Last night at dusk we went for a walk through the quiet streets. It was kind of interesting because it was so quiet, so dark, but you could smell a million different things blooming, even if you couldn't see them. We've lived in this house for seven years now, in an average urban neighborhood, built for the most part in the 1920s. The nice thing about not moving every five years the way we used to is that there is a cumulative effect to the yard projects that get done. There was soooooo much that needed to be done — every inch of the property was covered in bark dust, and the previous owner had clearly yanked out dozens of plants that he took with him when he left. Little by little, we've turned things around, though we are not gardeners and are on a budget. But last year it started to feel to me like some of the perennial investments we'd made in past years were starting to pay off beautifully. This is a small weeping cheery, about fifteen feet away from the big pink plum I showed you last week.

Last year we worked hard on the back yard and covered it with gravel, and I am still beyond thrilled with it. It wintered-over very nicely, much better than the mud-pit it'd been in years before. It shouldn't be too hard to get it to come together this year — a few annuals, replacement herbs for the ones that didn't make it, a new crop of geraniums for the window boxes, not too much. I always want to get going too early. But it's only March. Amazing how spring fever hits that way, isn't it? Just when I think I won't care, I do again.

Comments

[pam]

Your pictures are yummy. That clematis is going to be beautiful..well it looks like a clematis. Anyway, spring has sprung there for sure. Thanks for sharing your piece of it.

[Ingrid]

Just to reassure you, it takes at least seven years for a garden to come into its own so you're on the right track. I'm just in my second year in this garden, and despite how much there is to do, the fruit trees are budding and the quince is in bloom without any effort on my part - I love spring!

[KT]

Hi Alicia- Thank you so much for showing all your pictures of the Pacific Northwest in Spring. We are moving (back) to Seattle from Virginia next week and your pictures are really getting me happy. And the smells? Oh I cannot wait! Thank you again!

[Lisa H.]

I love your pictures with the pink petals all over the ground! Like a light dusting of pink snow in Spring!

[charlotte lyons]

Another one of your talents! So spring, so lovely! Gardening indoors here making felt pillows and sunny chicks....6" of ice and snow on the ground outside. Thanks for stopping by. xoC

[Nadia]

Oh how those pictures make me long for a garden of my own! I live in a loft with only a tiny balcony and absolutely no green space to call my own. I want to garden and dig and smell the earth and see things flourish - ::sigh:: one day.

[Shelley (Pink House)]

OH-MY-G-o-s-h. This makes me so dog-gone homesick for Oregon, I'm just about to hop in my car and drive out there to visit my mom. Having a true spring growing season is one thing that I truly miss living in Montana now. It is still brown as a mud-pit here, but without the moisture. I want COLOR! I guess I'll have to settle for some daffodils from the florist.

[Gill]

Your garden looks beautiful, I love what you've done with it. Thanks for showing us the pretty pictures. And how nice to have good neighbours, mine tend to keep to themselves!

[Natalea]

Ahhh...spring....
I wish I could say the same for here! It's snowing and no sight of any flowers coming up yet! We've been in our house for 5 years and we've put the most work into our garden. I don't think I could move simply because of the flowers! Seeing your pictures has made me crave the spring weather that is (hopefully) on the way! Thanks so much and enjoy the day!

[Conni Lu]

The tree blossoms are so pretty. Yard work is so time consuming that I usually don't do it justice but I do enjoy the fruits of labor from it. :D

[Alicia G.]

I have spring fever in a bad way, and I'm envious that you have blooms. Thank you! Thank you for the virtual spring.

We've have been mulling over the gravel backyard after seeing how gorgeous yours looks. We're on a super budget, too, but grass sucks, so I'd like to reduce the amount we have. Anyone else do this? I'd be curious to know the cost and how I can convince my hubs that hauling gravel is a must-do.

And oh...I just looked at one of those weeping cherry trees yesterday. More photos please.

[Ashley]

Oh, the blooming smell. I can smell it! (Even though I won't actually smell it for a month at least.) Thanks for the preview!

[debra]

Here in the South we are already up to about 85 degrees regularly. I'm actually starting to get panicky because my planting season is almost over! Very soon it will be too hot to go outside during the day. I loved what you guys did with the yard last year. We used to have something like it and loved the ease of not having so much grass, esp. here in Texas with the long months of intense heat and summer water restrictions. I'm glad you had a good weekend. I was (strangely) a little worried because you hadn't posted in four days! Ha--I need to get out more ;-)

[Erin D.]

Oh I love the smell of spring!

We just had a snowstorm again here the other day. :O(

Love your flowering trees, pretty!

We have 3 flowering trees, pink and white, I can't wait for them to bloom!

That turquoise basket is lovely!

[diana alexander]

Really awesome Clematis!!! Oh the Northwest climate. They don't stay around too long in the South. Looking back, it looks like you have made some wonderful progress. Enjoy the results. Diana

[cheriwan]

Yay us in the Northwest! We took a long leisurely walk with all the other Seattleites on the beach yesterday. It's so fun to see the families and kites and dogs...I can't believe it came so early this year~ alas it's raining today, but so quenching for our flowers and trees!

[Amy G.]

You're doing it right--those weekend garden overhauls often result in overgrown plots and plants that don't go. You're carefully choosing all of it and reaping the benefits! The pictures are gorgeous!

[suzanne b.]

I'm so glad that your brain is still frazzled with petals, because I was excited to see more garden photos. :)

[Helena]

Looking so good! I remember the over haul you mentioned. Lovely flowers. It is so nice to have a bouquet in the house from the garden. I plant a lot of herbs in and around the decorative flowers. Oh, one year I had a giant piece of ginger sprout and I stuck it in the ground. It will take off and cuttings make the house smell good. Lemon grass is great to have for the Asian cooking. My husband has a small patch of ganglia. I forget the right spelling. Right from the market it will grow. I got a bay leaf tree and it was a God send. End of the season sale. I got the biggest one that would fit in my ancient Toyota. Fresh bay leaf is so sweet and different than the dry. It takes time just a little at a time and the garden and space give back so much. I am mentally going about thinking how much you would like some of the plants we have collected. Alicia would love the pinks and rose. Sorry I yammered so long. Gardening and cooking get me excited. Got to go and whack up something for the vases!

[jenny holiday]

Truly lovely!!

After a few 70 degree days, we folded up our scarves, tucked away our hats, and had big plans for Springy fun. Mother Nature decided NJ's Winter season should go out with a bang. Ohh and a bang it was. Just a mess! Piles and piles of snow!

Our happy plans of flower pots on our little "stoop" (as my grandma would have called it) were squashed. So for now We will be living vicariously through Posie!

Lovely lovely lovely!!

Had to say hello!! I am here everyday. Typepad doesn't seem to like me too much. So it truly is a crap shoot whether or not I am able to post! I am happy happy today! : )

Enjoy your week!!
Give a big Hello to A-man from the two of us!! : )

xoxo Jenny

http://journals.aol.com/jennyeveryday/everyday-is-a-holiday/

[Katie]

Your pictures are beautiful, as always. You're making me dream of spring!

[stefani b.]

oh boy,
i am jealous of your gardening.

in toronto one must visit a greenhouse to smell the flowers.

we still have silly snow.

happy gardening!

[p.t.]

I enjoyed looking back through your previous posts about the progress of the backyard, especially the comments about how great "whistling husbands" are. I agree.Lifts the spirit, along with happy little dogs, speaking of which....Anway, great that you have lovely neighbours to share in the beauty of the surrounds and seasons.

[Peg]

Is that Clematis Armandii (evergreen) that has a most delightful smell? I had one, but it died last winter, and I don't have the heart to replace it! Your neighbourhood sounds perfect to me.

[sarah]

It's still snowy and yucky here on the east coast, I'm enjoying your pictures and anticipating experiencing some of the same things in a few weeks!