Hurry Spring!

 It warmed up to 70 degrees yesterday and even though it's back down to 30 this morning, we got a nice touch of spring weather to come!  I was outside running errands and found the prettiest yellow tulips at Trader Joe's.  

Lenten Roses and daffodils are blooming and our fescue grass is just starting to warm up.   I can see tulips starting to emerge and love the color they bring to the garden.  

Lenten Rose

Our average  last frost date is about April 5th so I still have over a month before I can plant any flowers but I am starting seeds this week.

Lenten Rose

I had a great success starting 'Lady in Red' salvia as well as 'Pink Sunday' salvia and 'Mealy Blue' salvia seeds last year and will definitely plant again. 

Lady in Red Salvia

I'm so excited with a new growing season to plan and plant some new plants as well as tried and true varieties. 

Lenten Rose

I have fallen in love with Lenten Roses (hellebores) and have been on the lookout at my local nurseries for double blossom varieties. 

I finally found the Winter Jewel Painted hellebore at my specialty nursery here in Oklahoma.

They are pricey but since they multiply and are very tough plants I feel they are worth the price.  I planted my first hellebore two years ago and it started blooming when temperatures were near freezing.  

The blooms last for months and the foilage is evergreen.  Such a nice all season plant for the shade.

If you haven't tried hellebores I encourage you to plant one this year.  They are hardy in zones 4-8.

Spring Fever

This time of year I'm so ready to get out in the garden.  It's way too early and cold in my zone to plant anything so I'm counting the days until our last frost.   

Daffodils are starting to bloom and I cut a small bouquet to enjoy. 
 My new favorite hellebores are in flower as well.  
What a gorgeous flower when almost everything is still asleep.   

I want to keep increasing my hellebore collection since they are such a hardy evergreen in my zone 7 garden.  The flowers last for weeks.

Tulips will be next to bloom and provide so much color to my garden!

We enlarged our back east facing flower bed in the fall but haven't planted it yet.  I'm still preparing the soil and taking out grass.  I'm thinking more azaleas, hostas and a few low growing evergreen shrubs will compliment this area and will be low maintenance.

We are trying to decrease the amount of lawn to mow and hope to add more native and drought tolerants perennials
 and shrubs this year. 

I'm sure my gardening friends are making lots of plans for their gardens as well.  Do you have anything you are going to add to your landscape this year?

I'm dedicating this garden to my precious Mom who passed away before Thanksgiving...she loved flowers and was my "garden supervisor" the past few years she lived with us.