Winter Can Be Short...

Hyacinth

...If you are a gardener of course! It can be also long if your plants only bloom late spring; as I found out in previous years. Waiting for the end of winter can be long and tiring to someone like me who cannot stand winter. So, to remedy the issue, I bought some early spring blooming plants.

I could not decide what to get, considering that this was not planned at all and I was not trying to spend a lot of money on flowers, so I settled on an all time early spring favorites like tulips and Blue Jacket Hyacinth.

Ironically I had avoided these two flowers because I had them in my old house. I thought they were boring and their short-lived blooms were a big downside. But then I thought about how reliable they are and how I don't have to do much for them to come back year after year. So, practicality won over long-lasting blooms.

On another note, I bought some bushes to my own amazement. My garden always looks like it is in need of additional plants. I think I'm being impatient and that is not a good trait for a gardener. Mistakes are abound as I grab on every flower I see to "fill in" my garden but this is never a good way to garden. So, I need to hold my horses and be patient!
  

Winter Blues, Looking Forward to Spring!

In the past few years I've coped with winter by actually embracing it and doing my best not to dread it. This year I am not doing any of that, instead I'm dreading it like there is no tomorrow. I'm feeling the blues and I'm ready to get out there and get dirty. I'm ready for end of winter chores and I'm planning a big cleanup for my garden this spring. I'm back to my old ways of dreading winter and I need to STOP now!

This year is very strange weather-wise in that we are having a very mild winter with bursts of cold and one bout of snow so far this year. Today, for instance, was a glorious, whopping 68 degrees Fahrenheit! On Christmas day I was wearing a t-shirt and had to turn on air conditioner in my house. It felt weird in a way because I expected it to be cold. I had to switch my Christmas outfit because it was too warm in the house. We have not had winter like this in so long.

I am not embracing this winter mainly because I don't believe that this beautiful weather will last. I'm having winter blues on a winter-less winter. I think deep down in my heart I'm expecting it to be really cold and, even though it is not, I still feel symptoms of a cold winter. Clearly I'm not embracing the moment and this needs to stop because it is not good for me! To my defense though, I have taken advantage where I can by going out for walks and hikes whenever we get a good weather. Winters are my least favorite season but they are required for a beautiful spring season in our area.

Spring last year

My garden is a mess right now and it's feeling winter blues big time. But I know from that dead look, a beautiful spring garden will emerge; this is where I find my solace, my strength to cope, my will to go on. I cannot wait for spring this year. Come on winter be over NOW!

I made a rendezvous to the store today I almost picked up some bulbs and some flowers to plant in spring, but then I realized that spring is almost two months away :( ! Besides, buying anything at this point is not a good idea as I don't know how my garden will be in the spring, what will come up and what will not.

This is year 4 for my garden and everything is maturing nicely, though some bushes have  not grown due to deer eating them. I'm looking forward to giving it a nice trim and doing a better job of taking photos. As a matter of a fact, I will update the winter garden page and post some pictures there as I don't like to crowd the blog with too many pictures.

So, as much as I dread this time of the year, I will continue counting down and taking advantage of the great weather we've had this season. I will remind myself that dreading winter is just putting oneself in misery, it is necessary for beautiful spring in our area. See you in spring fellow gardeners!