Planting Time!

It's finally been nice weather for a few days and I've been diving into the dirt. I had a few plants I'd ordered online waiting in their pots and I was anxious to get them in the ground. Among them are 3 Nikko Blue Hydrangeas, 1 Forever Pink Hydrangea, 1 Double Mock Orange, 3 Blue Chip Campanulas, 3 Clustered Bellflower, 1 Azalea, and 3 Stella de Oro Daylilies. I just love planting and imagining how the flower bed will look in a month or two.

I planted the Azalea and 1 Blue Hydrangea in Pots for the porch, that way I'll at least get to take them with me when we move, since they are pretty small and take a few years to mature. I haven't given up on growing strawberries yet, after my failed attempt last year. I love strawberrys and I think Lil' L will enjoy growing them as well. I think we'll be potting them this year. We've also been cutting a few of the tulips and bringing them in.

Last week I let the girls plant a bunch of Zinnia Seeds in potting soil. Then I let them help me with some peat pellets. I couldn't believe how much they liked it, and that it kept them busy for 2 hours! Its good to have kids around, or I might not have noticed how exciting watching dirt expand can be. I also planted an array of Shock Wave Petunia Seeds, pink, rose, purple and ivory. I decided to try some Cantebury Bell seeds as well, although I'm unsure about the luck I'll have with them, since the seeds are all so tiny! I was tickled this afternoon to see the first 1/8" sprout coming out of a few of the petunia pellets (pictured above). I've got big plans for them in my front porch, and for hanging baskets out on my back deck. I love starting seeds, not only because its cheap, but very rewarding. I've started 40 seeds, just of petunias.. So I may have a few extra-- assuming most of them make it, and I don't forget to water them or make some other amatuer gardner boo-boo. Ahh, spring is in the air.