Spring's A'Coming!

I’m happy as a clam! It is almost time to start digging in the back yard. Yesterday was a dreary, drizzly day so my outdoor plans were put on hold. However, it was a perfect day to visit the garden department of a home building center. Half of the county must have had the same idea as the store was full. Maybe everyone else is tired of winter and anxious to get spring started.

My purpose was not to buy plants, but I could not resist the perennials and herbs right inside the door. It took about 10 seconds for me to choose two kinds of lavender and a pot of rosemary. One of the lavender plants is the ordinary kind so often found in herb gardens and flower beds. The other is a bit different but still smells lavendery. Both have those pretty little purple flowery heads.

I don’t have a lot of garden space, but made one bed around the raised deck last year and planted iris, Shasta daisies, columbine, lamb’s ear and echinocea (coneflower). I plan to fill in with moss rose around the steps and add the lavender and rosemary wherever I can. This may not be a conventional garden, but the flowers and colors are appealing to me and I especially love the old fashioned flowers. The most pleasure, though, is in digging. I love to dig. There is something therapeutic about it. Maybe I should include a sandbox in my backyard landscaping.

My sister-in-law in Pennsylvania introduced me to dolichos lablab (sometimes known as Egyptian pea vine) last year and I had pretty good success with seeds planted next to the privacy fence. They climbed up to the top of the fence and provided a nice, showy display of purple flowers and pods, which rattled when the breeze caught them. I collected the seed in the fall and will plant them after the danger of frost has passed. This time I’ll plant them closer to get a thicker display. I have never seen lablab seeds locally, but did find them at the Burpee site.

I know the calendar says spring arrives March 20th, but what’s the harm in giving it a poke in hopes it will come just a few days sooner. Besides, the weather forecaster says it is supposed to be 70 later this week. Armed with my trowel, I’m ready!