Thanks everyone! Yes, it is cold but still normal for Interior Alaska. I also hope it won't stay that cold for long

Wow Anya! That is so cold! We thawed out yesterday and today it was 59° F with rain. I am happy for the rain but certainly don't need any flooding.

Take care everyone!

It has been a mild day today. Bit foggy, but mild. I've started spring cleaning, cleanup the pathways, moved some big pots, etc. Nothing major, just a little bit of cleaning.

All TPs have burgundy buds, the Hoicheras kept their leaves, the Rhodos bounced back, the Hellebores leaves are really big and deep green, and the early Hellebores are full of flower buds The spring is just around the corner I've probably said this too soon but

I planted 2 bare root herbaceous peonies yesterday and saw the woodies that were planted earlier look great and I have above ground swelling eyes of the few herbaceous I planted earlier. Will go up and pack leaves around them if/when it turns cold again for insulation since I know we won't have any snow to do the job.

I'll continue cleaning the garden later today. The weather is exceptionally mild again. Buds are swelling everywhere
Last fall, I planted the new TPs deep, practically burying them. Now, I hesitate to dig around them, but my curiosity about their well-being persists. I can only bite my nails until they emerge above the ground In other words, I'll be nervously biting my nails for the next two months

I found a hellebore seedling in the back of my property that was too beautiful to
Leave there. I dug it up with a large rootball so it wasn't disturbed.

I moved it up by the driveway so I would see it when I walked to get the mail. I have a witch hazel up there that is blooming and smells so nice.



Here's where I put it



Witch hazel blooms

Lovely, LG The spring has already started

Yay! Hellebores at LG's house means spring has officially kicked off....not here but somewhere.

I wish for more stable, nice, comfortably cold temperatures here. It's warming up again and my nice snow cover is vanishing.

I've begun working in the garden, starting earlier than ever before. Buds are swelling on all plants. Hellebores and my 'Red Start' pulmonaria are full of buds. I noticed that some early crocuses are emerging in the neighbourhood. Some of my small daffodils and hyacinths are also emerging. This winter is by far the mildest since I've been in this house — that is, in the last 20 years.

I'll aim to accomplish something every day For instance, I have some unused organic fertilizer. I don't believe it can cause any harm if I spread it around the plants this weekend. It will not affect dormancy. Being organic, it should release nutrients slowly, don't you think? If you foresee any potential issues, please let me know

I've also begun opening the porch door to acclimate the plants inside. Although the small roses, mums and azaleas haven't been indoors for long—just two or three weeks—I might start bringing them outside soon.

Sure, the weather may still be quite messy with freezing rain and snow and all that jazz, but it can't be that cold anymore

I'm going to finish cleaning and start taking pictures. I used to capture images from all seasons, but I've somehow dropped this habit in the last three or four years. It's time to start again

Thanks for all the nice comments. I am outside today planting some bulbs that didn't get planted in the Fall. I think they will be fine.

Glad you are seeing so many signs of Spring too, Jasmin! Working in our plants/gardens just feeds the soul.

I do have lots of snowdrops blooming. Here are two special ones.

Wendy's Gold




Godfrey Owen

Wow. Look at your new little blooms. Don't ya love seeing all the new spring flowers. 😍

bumplbea said: Wow. Look at your new little blooms. Don't ya love seeing all the new spring flowers. 😍

Amazing and uplifting! They give me hope

Absolutely made my day.😀

Those snowdrops are beautiful LG!

I finally moved all of the peonies and roses that were in the garage since the last really cold spell outside, they look great! I'll move them back in for a while if we experience any nights in the 20s as foliage has started to unfurl a bit on a few of them.

Just bought these white Hellebores I will showcase them in the front as the first signs of spring. There's a nice spot for them in the back. I will plant them as soon as the soil unfreezes


Here are my early Hellebores. Don't they look eager to start blooming?

Good for you, Liz! It will be fun to see how early your garden gets going since you have moved to AL!

Jasmin, those white Hellebores are gorgeous. I still need to cut all the ratty foliage off mine. Hopefully I can if it warms up a little.

Today I planted a rose, Rose Up Lilac Days. It had it in a pot and finally got it in the ground. It was a lot of work digging up a good hole and cutting chicken wire to protect it from the rabbits and deer.

I can't wait for Spring!

Did you use a shovel or your power auger, LG?
Jasmin, the hellebores look wonderful! I have some in a pot that have buds, the ones I planted in the ground are too small to bloom. I think they're beautiful and plan to greatly increase the number around the house, just trying to wait long enough to make sure I plant them in the best space, not sure what will come up where in the next couple of months!
So far I've been lucky with the deer, lines of fishing line has kept them out. Poor Daisy got tangled in it last time she was there, though, didn't put the lower line back in place. Hoping nothing discovers and takes advantage! Headed down there for a quick trip on Saturday!

It was a spur of the moment planting. Liz, so just my shovel.

I think it's wise to wait to see if anything comes up this Spring in your new place.
I'm glad that the fishing line is working, but poor dear Daisy. I bet she was so confused.


Enjoy your trip on Saturday. Hopefully something will be blooming.

Poor Daisy, I constantly confuse her. Accidentally pushed her into putting her head and shoulders through a screen door at the new house already. Completely my fault, she tried to not go out through that door but she'd already tracked through my freshly mopped floor in one area, was headed to another! Corralled her back to that door and only realized my mistake after she obeyed….must've been a crappy screen in the first place because it took almost no force on her part. I have the replacement screen, just need to get it spread out in the sun for a while to warm and lay flat before installing.
Back to plants! 2 of the woody peonies from My Favorite Flowers and More have buds! That's budSSS, one has 3 already and the 2nd has 2 with prospects of more! And my potted hellebore has tons of buds!
Was about to add pics when I realized the photos were fuzzy. Going out to get better ones, I'll edit and add them in a few minutes!
These first 2 are Snow Tower, got one for me and one for my daughter. I'll plant them for her as well, she's not the most conscientious gardener, has allowed plants to stay in pots and die. I'd have to seriously question her parentage if she could see a tree peony bloom and not take care of the plant…


This is Purple Baozhu. First pic show most of the growth, 2nd is a bit closer. Can you see the 2 tiny buds?


Anna's Red Hellebore. Think I'll wait until after it blooms to get it in the ground, will clean it up a bit if the weather seems to be staying nice for a while.

Wow Liz! I'm so excited about these buds. I can't wait to see the blooms.
I also got a snow tower from her, but mine was planted in the ground in the Fall, so they aren't as far along as yours.

Poor Daisy. But I'm sure she's glad that you are home all the time now. Will you take her to the Peony Farm with you tomorrow?