Is it Spring Yet?

This time of year I find myself wanting to get out in the garden after months of cold weather has forced me to stay indoors.  I've been packing away holiday decorations and doing some reorganizing but I don't enjoy those activities as much as gardening.   I even helped my Mom with a small indoor garden to make her feel more at home.

    So what else is a girl to do but go online and start planning for the coming season!  I love watching the Garden Answer on You Tube and searching the Proven Winner's website.  There are so many new plant introductions coming to nurseries this year.  It's fun to find some of the best selections for my zone 7 garden and figure out where I can use them.   I love planning out my garden with tried and true varieties that can take our temperature extremes here in Oklahoma.

I'm planting more and more in pots so I can enjoy them on the patio.  I find myself looking for hummingbird favorites for my patio pots so I can enjoy them closeup. 

I know they love salvias, especially 'Black and Blue' and 'Lady in Red'.  

Black and Blue Salvia

These salvias are my favorites too because 'Lady in Red' reseeds easily and 'Black and Blue' is a perennial and is deep blue.   They take the heat and humidity that we get here in July and August when so many plants seem to struggle.

Lady-in-Red Salvia 

They love red pentas too and I have found them to be an almost fool-proof plant.

I want to include a few more hydrangeas this year but I'm only going to purchase varieties that bloom on new wood.

Our late frosts are so common and last year the only hydrangeas that bloomed well were my 'Little Lime' variety.  They can take a lot of sun and I love their small compact size.


I'm getting impatient for Spring and keep bringing home flowers from the grocery store to brighten our home.
I'm so thankful that my favorites can be easily found for a reasonable price.

Two blue hydrangeas easily fill a vase.

I'm counting the days until Spring and my husband has purchased a small gazebo style greenhouse for me and I'm so excited to have a place to start seeds and
 overwinter plants next winter.  

I hope to take pictures of the progress from start to finish. He purchased a kit and will be assembling it himself so it will take awhile and I'm sure I'll have to get in
 the middle of it.

Wish us luck!