Spring has Sprung

Lung Wort

Well here we are!  Spring started while we were waiting for winter!  It's March 16th and eager little greens are pushing their way up out of the ground and even budding.  I had tiny Purple crocus flowers scattered in my backyard in February!  I wish I would have photographed them; I was just too stunned!
I am disgusted to say my last post was Sept 20th of LAST year.  There are a few reasons for this, one is that I became unhappy with my blog layout and spent time researching other layouts trying to learn how to make Edgy Gardener a little more dazzling and readable.  All this to no avail.  Another is that I became disenchanted with the whole endeavor of plotting, planning, shopping, researching, digging, watering, watching, waiting....the waiting is what did me in.  I have gorgeous  ideas and inspirations of a full lush landscape, but when I go outside my beds are young, un-flowered and sparse.  I repeatedly moved things around, vigorously trying to achieve the perfect mix of color, texture, height and sun exposure,  not knowing if the current plants were not meeting my expectations because they were unhappy or just young.  I ate, slept and breathed garden design.  Everyday I was ebullient to finally find the perfect combination.  Remember, I am the Edgy (aka: ANXIOUS) Gardener!
The summer was soooo hot and my morsels of hope did not always preform as promised, so I just had to tell myself to stop and wait for next year.
And here we are.......

Endless Summer Hydrangea Budding 

Last summer I knew everything in my garden and could spot and name plants in my garden beds and on my wish list a block away.  I constantly pointed out and named plants, not to impress, but to exercise my knowledge and in hopes a conversation would bloom into tips tricks, and maybe even free plants!  My kids found this very irritating.  My husband thought it obsessive.  Now, I find that winter has stored all those greenhouse classifications far away from my central line of operation.  I don't remember what I planted where - did I every buy the Cardinal Flowers, or just think about buying them.....

But, with Spring comes new promise.  Time to dig all that out and throw myself yet into another season of obsessing over leaves, buds, plans, color combinations, precipitation levels,  slugs, snails and where to put the chicken wire.  I'm ready to be one season closer to obtaining my illusive vision of a magnificent display of horticulture brilliance and creativity that can't help but take one's breath away.  I will certainly make time when Better Homes & Gardens calls to photograph my small piece of inspirational Midwestern landscaping . (sigh)

Peonies ( I think )

I really have NO idea what these are.  There are 3 of them planted in a  semi-circle around the Little Henry Sweetspire.  I remember planning that out - but can't find in my notes what they are.  Good thing - they look healthy!!

First of Spring's breakthroughs

Feb:
Crocus blooms
Mar:
Daffodils blooming (I don't have any yet)
Tulips are leafy
Some Hostas are barely showing, most are invisible.
I think these red stalks are my Peonies, but can't be sure.
Buds on the hydrangeas (yay)