Isn't it wonderful to see new growth after a long winter? I know we lucked out as far as a hard winter goes but it still was cold. I'll have to take a walk around and see what's starting here. The tulips are only about an inch or so high. I'll have to check on the rest.

Isn't it great, Penny! I saw the chickadees getting the birdhouse ready today!

It's spring all right. I went walking in the park this AM and saw 100 robins gathered together on the ballfield. When you see 100 robins hopping around together on the ground it definitely has to be spring.

I actually had a lot of damage to some of my plants because of lack of snow cover to them over the winter. I lost most of my strawberries

Oh and I saw my first earthworm yesterday when I was moving some of the leaf mulch around to check the crowns of some plants.

Penny

Yes its looks like its spring again here in Western NY.......but in a week will probably be back to winter again...thats just how it is here in Western NY. ....Wayne

Wayne
Please don't burst my bubble! I refuse to even acknowledge another wintery weather spell. It just has to be warming up now.

Penny

Heh. My first worm of the year was a sighting on the neighbor's lawn yesterday... a robin was yanking it out of the ground and slurped it down. :)

But my columbine is leafing, the crocuses are blooming, the daffs are starting to open, my primrose is still blooming its head off (pink and cream both), my lenten rose is budded, my hyacinths are budded up, the snowdrops are still in bloom, the glory-of-the-snow is budded, the rose in front looks to be getting ready to send out shoots, the pulmonaria are leafing, the daylilies are starting to sprout... if it's not spring it's faked out my gardens pretty good.

I haven't seen a dark eyed junco at the feeder in at least two weeks, and the grackles have taken over. The arrival of the grackles are always a sure sign of spring weather.

And for the first time in years, the backyard is dry enough to walk around, so I think when I get home I'll see what's stirring in the backyard beds. Those are mainly shade, and are often a hair slower, but...

Spring is arriving for me also. I have my first few crocuses finally blooming, though the majority won't be for another week or two. Cleaned up two beds yesterday and noticed numerous things coming up....lots of bulbs, sedums, columbines and bleeding hearts. I planted so many new things last year, I am anxious to see what made it. I need to do a little pruning and clean off three more beds and then I will be ready to plant any new things that arrive in the mail. I have been informed that some items have shipped already...this is going to be a glorious year for my garden!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden and Craft Projects

Sorry...I messed up the link above...what a dork I am...LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: Correct Link for my Garden and Craft Projects

I walked around my gardens and noticed various plants emerging. The crocuses, snowdrops are blooming. The daffodils are getting ready along with other minor bulbs.
The different types of Arums survived their first winter and are pushing up new growth. The Dracunculus vulgarises are poking up.
I checked my two small southern magnolias and they appear to have made it through for their second year.
I think I'll begin sowing seed in pots and set them on the patio so nature can do her thing and clean, fertilize, the list goes on and on ....
Adios, :-)
Gerry

Utica area checking in...snow drops, scillcia, pussywillows and something thats not mentioned often. A yellow flower..early spring bloomer...Winter Aconite. See the pictur I took yesterday. - Kim
[IMG]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/MissKimmie1/DSCN0078.jpg[/IMG]

krazyaroider: Another Hamburg gardener here!

I took a walk around my yard yesterday when I got in from work to see what was sprouting. My daffs are up, so are some of the daylilies and the primroses. My lily of the valley are just barely breaking the surface. I imagine things will really start going this week with the warmer weather.

Tracy

And as of yesterday, my lenten rose is blooming for the first time. Hurrah! I've got to take pictures of it.

Like everyone else I'm enjoying watching things getting started. Last year I started a Butterfly Garden and believe it or not I had 2 Butterflies cross through the yard yesterday afternoon. One was a Black Swallowtail and the other I couldn't identify.

Then last night when I took out the dog and after dark I heard my first peepers and I just have to ask? This morning at daybreak around 05:00AM when I was out with the dog I have never heard so many Robbins and song birds in my life, was I just imagining that or what?

Jim

My first Lenten Rose blossom opened yesterday also. It looks so lonesome in that particular bed all by itself today i put a couple of my salvias out there to keep it company until the other blossoms open up.

Jim
You didn't imagine the birds. I took my husband to work at 4:30 this morning and they were singing up a storm already here and it was still dark.

Penny

Of items not covered above: Adonis vernalis now has two flowers open and a third coming along. My lawn is rapidly being converted into a sea of blue with the chiondoxa as is the front woods. My pushkinia is in full bloom and an early rhododendron burst into bloom today. Virginia bluebells are starting to emerge as is bloodroot. My Trillium luteum is looking better each day. Dicentra spectaabilis is emerging as is corydalis solida. Two narcissus are in bloom as well and did I mention my Iris reticulata?

Penny,
My Christmas Rose has been blooming pretty good, but I'm really excited because my next door neighbor pointed out that my 'Red Lady' hellebore, that I planted a couple of springs ago, started blooming for the first time today : )I don't have any salvias to move out and keep it company though!
Remy

Well my salvias are back inside now along with my mini greenhouse to try and consolidate all the indoor sprouts to one location. I think once we get past this next week we will have a little nicer temps (I hope) because I now have the greenhouse full of plants in my kitchen and a 5 ft. tall manettia vine on a bistro table in the middle of the kitchen floor for lack of any place to put it. I really do need a garden room!!!
Penny

waplummer, where did you get your corydalis solida? I NEED some of that? :-) I'm up at 1200', so sometimes things are a little slower emerging. However, I have crocus blooming. Daffs are getting ready to bloom. And yes, the columbine, bee balm, lily of the valley, iris and tulips are pushing their little heads up. Coltsfoot is blooming as well. At least in the garden, but not along the roadside yet.

I've been enjoying watching my garden come back to life too. Crocuses everywhere, iris reticulata a pool of blue and purple, daffodils in bud, and today my first extra early tulips and "February Gold" daffodils are blooming! My dicentra eximia has ferny baby leaves, and my sedums are covered with tight clusters of little rosettes. My asiatic and oriental lilies are up, and my Star of Bethlehem is oh so green. I was thrilled yesterday to notice that one of my clematis ("Warsaw Nike" I think) has new basal growth. Today my neighbor's honesuckle shrub (amur?) has real LEAVES opening! A ratty, ugly shrub, but I sure treasure those first leaves. . . .

Oh yes, praise the Lord indeed that SPRING is really here!

Laurel

It was a great spring day in my neck of the woods. I potted up 45 perennials for friends and swaps, lots of duplcates. I have several plants growing in every window of my house, they are starting to get on my nerves!!! everyday I take them out to my greenhouse and bring them in every night. hopefully next week I will be able to keep them out for the season. (I'm to tight to keep the heat on yet) It gets pretty cold here at night yet. Some of my ws containers are sprouted, so that is a good sign of spring!!!

Mulchy I am doing the same thing as you except that my seedlings and overwintered plants are going out on the porch during the day and back in at night. Hopefully after we get past this week it will stay more stable. I still have no sprouts in my winter sown containers but like I stated earlier, most of it is very tender stuff.

Penny

I'm a new gardener, and this is my first spring after planting several perenials and bulbs last year. I've been so happy seeing things come alive - I have crocus, and daffodils and tulips coming up, but I also noticed my lupine, bleeding hearts, columbine and hydrangea waking up!

My only fear now - what will happen to all of them with the snow this week? Should I cover them up with leaves?

I'll be heartbroken if they don't make it!