Spring Has Sprung!

A lone tulip, peeking out of the ground. I didn't know if I would get ANY tulips this year, because of having to move my entire garden. I did not intentionally bring any along, I was in too much of a hurry to dig in the dirt for bulbs. But....I think a few snuck along with all the irises. It is only the fourth week of March, and things are growing. That is SO exciting, because last year, winter seemed to drag on and on until May. Then the summer didn't get very hot, and nothing seemed to grow. The early and continued warmth so far this year is such a blessing.

I was also very worried abou how much of my garden would survive, considering I was moving it rapidly in late October. It is so encourgaing to see so many things started. The irises are starting to send up little green poky triangles. I believe this above is savory...it could be tarragon, too. The oregano has 3 or 4 clusters of leaves (see below)...that is one of my favorites because last year it went so crazy. I am new enough to gardening that I still love when something reseeds itself and I find it in other places in the garden, or it goes under the bricks and cement and shows up in other flower beds. I love anything I plant that mass produces itself.

In the shade bed, I found astilbe, lady's mantle, hydrangea, and of course my hellebore growing. Correction, the hellebore is blooming. In other gardening news, I assembled my new hose cart. It remains to be seen whether I will like it or not. First of all, it took several hours to put together. (Granted, I took a few brownie and beverage breaks during that) Then,

while trying to put the hose onto the cart, I noticed that you really have to put some weight onto it to keep it from flipping it over while you reel it in. I finally got the hose on, but I can't get the end of their hose to match up with the spicket coming off of the house. I'm going to have to have my guy look at it, I might need an adaptor.

I think it is two females. I thought the cart might be helpful, because I have a lot of hose, and the wheels allow the house to be moved around from place to place. I have spickets on the front and back of my house (it is built into the side of a hill) and flower beds on all sides. Now I shouldn't have to drag the hose around the house...I should be able to unhook the cart and wheel it around to the other side. It also keeps the hose neat, and when it is wintertime, I can just drain out the hose and wheel it into the garage. No more big piles of hose next to the house.

So, we will see. I am sure there will still be swearing and throwing of the hose, nonetheless. I am just happy to be outdoors and messing with the hose, right now.