Spring.. oh Sweet Spring...

I got the opportunity to get out in the garden for the first time today. It was FANTASTIC.  It was probably 65 degrees and sunny.  I walked around in the yard without a coat, and putted around for about 5-6 hours. My first task was to cut back a bunch of the dead foliage and make a pile in the fenced garden.  When I was cutting back (mostly 2-4 inches), I found so many things growing underneath.  There are still plenty of leaves around to protect the new growth, so I won't rake them out yet.

There were SO many things already growing in my herb bed.  Above, the lemon balm is off to a good start.  I have taken a new interest in herbs as medicines this winter, and I am excited for my herbs to grow so I can start using them to my advantage. 

For some reason blogger will not turn this picture the correct direction, no matter what way I rotated it, this is the way it shows up.  This is my catmint plant, with some fantastic growth under the leaves.

Unbelievably, there are things to eat already in the March garden.  These are my spring green onions, in two nice bunches.  I will probably go harvest some tomorrow to have with my cottage cheese for lunch.

This is even more unbelievable!  I found this entire spinach plant in my lettuce bed.  I have no idea why it is growing here...well, some idea, but don't know why it is germinated and grown, and in such lovely condition.  I will go inspect this further tomorrow to see if I can pull off the outer leaves for eating.

Of course you can't have spring without its star...rhubarb!  It is already poking up through the ground.  I use rhubarb in a ton of jams and desserts.  I can't wait to see it leafing out next month. 

I also had a lot of plants growing that I don't eat.  The lamb's ears baffle me. This thing doesn't even look like winter happened to it.  A tiny bit of the outer edges was browned, but that was it.  It felt lush, and thick, and healthy.  Is it some kind of soft-leaved evergreen?  I forgot that this is an herb...so I will have to do some research into how it is used. 

I do not remember what this plant is called. (Hold on.) Okay, I looked it up.  Veggies I know...flowers and such I have to look up sometimes.  This is my silver mound artemisia.  The name is no lie...this thing gets huge and pillowey.  And it already has a great start. 

And here is my black diamonds hellebore peeking out from the woodchips.  Hellebores are another star of spring.  I just planted this last fall, so I haven't got to see it bloom yet...but the pictures are great.  Truly black plants are rare, I'm told, and this one is a knockout. 

I got a lot done in the garden today, and it looks like tomorrow will be a great day outside too.  It never ceases to amaze me what will grow so early, before you think you will find a thing.  I will have more posts to show the projects I'm working on this year, but this one was all about sharing the beauty you can find even this early in the spring.