Bradford Pear suckers are the worst! There were 2 in this yard when I moved in, and both have come down in storms. The suckers have been a nightmare, and have traveled much farther than I would have imagined.

My spring plans have lately been deciding on rose varieties, which feels like opening Pandora's box! Researching one variety leads me down so many rabbit holes, I end up at it for hours. Perfect winter activity! For several years I've been battling Rose Rosette Virus, which has mostly been removing plants that show infection. No new infection has shown for a year now, so I'm ready to replace some roses Having turned my attention to other plants for some time, I've got a lot of catching up to do in the rose world.

I've stayed pretty active outside too, removing leaves, cutting back perennials, defining borders, and weeding out peppergrass and lamium that are thriving in the cold weather. I'm seeing lots of growth tips from bulb plants, which makes me all the more excited for spring.

Neal - that lamium just doesn't give up. They pop up in the most unlikely spots and now is the time they're sprouting all over.

Good luck with selecting roses. It's a wonderful world of such gorgeous blooms. If I didn't have the scourge of the deer I'd have more roses.

I even found some lamium already blooming! I only have a few small areas to weed it out, but I'm determined to keep it from going to seed. I've been waiting around till the ground freezes to mulch, but I'm about to go ahead and do it. Otherwise I'll be weeding out all the lamium again in a couple of weeks! Sometimes the ground doesn't freeze here anyway, I just hope it's cold enough to inhibit early sprouts.

We have some areas where it will grow wildly over winter so I get out during any sunny hours to go on my lamium hunt. It does remain green all winter so it is easy to spot...and remove. Either the seeds are 100% fertile or the birds are adding to the problem.

I have given up on Lamium as well as the horrible Strawberry weed. If I am working in an area I dig and toss otherwise it isnt a point to focus on.

It just keeps on spreading when I let it go. It's easy enough to pluck out as I walk through the gardens and check the spots I know it loves to grow.

Thankfully it has been pulling out easily. I didn't want to use a trowel and damage bulb pips. I'm actually kind of enjoying the task of pulling it out- it's giving me my dirt fix, LOL.

Go for it. Neal.

Why do I always seem to do things backwards? I want my lamium to grow and spread up my steep eastern slope, but it just stays in one small area. I even keep pulling pieces off to plant further up the hill and they never take. I finally gave up and am trying some Sherwood purple phlox and vinca. Don't know if they will work either. Even bugleweed did not survive. I lost my large junipers last winter and need to replace the erosion control they provided. It is no longer sunny there so I don't think I can put junipers in again. Between that and wondering what I will have left after the voles spend the winter in my yard, I am not doing my usual winter dreaming.

Sherwood Purple Phlox spreads well and does keep a nice mat of foliage, and doesn't mind shade, so that does sound like a good choice. Is it a dry area? Mine spreads better in areas with more moisture, but I do have a lot of tree root competition, so some are in dryer spots and doing okay. If it is dry, you may want to plant more of them, closer together, so that you don't have erosion while waiting for them to establish. Vinca minor has been added to the exotic invasive list for KY, so I've been working on removing it. I always liked it, even though it could be troublesome, but in your zone and that situation, it sounds like a good choice, especially if you won't be doing much other planting there.

On rare occasion invasive might be okay. There is competition from large shrubs at the top of the hill and only morning sun, so not much will grow there. I only planted 2 vinca and will watch them closely. A friend of mine has had trouble with it, so I know it has the potential to be a pest. I thought long and hard before planting it. Good to know about the phlox. I lay a dripline in the spring and summer to provide moisture, but it probably still is dryer under all the shrubs. We shall see.

What works one place, is a weed,-- somewhere else.
I grow lamium on a slope too, and tried the vinca,but it did not take.
I will check on the hardiness of that phlox.
My slope gets morning sun and junipers, yew and a rose are growing there.
Also some peonies which are slow there--might move them.

My peonies will grow but not bloom much unless they get a lot of sun. I moved one in the fall and am hoping it will do better in the new location.

Jo Ann,

I have 2 Forest Pansy redbud trees and they're doing fine here in zone 5a. Have had one for at least twelve years, so it's survived all kinds of weather!

CarolineScott said:My plans for next season are to continue removing "lawn",
and replacing it with either flower or vege beds.
I also want to reroof my north back porch with translucent vinyl,
and then would grow begonias back there. And other shade plants.
One bed in front of house (sunny south side) will be prepared for planting peonies next fall.
And of course there is pruning of shrubs etc. to be done.

You're going to love your clear-roofed porch, Caroline. I originally intended ours to be a seating area also, but more often it's filled with happy plants.

Thanks for your input Rose.

Carolyn, I'm all in favor of removing lawn and the porch sounds wonderful. I hope you will post photos!

Up early because I'm so excited about seeing my girls open their presents, and they're grown!
After Christmas I never seem to have post-Christmas letdown because then its time to plan for spring, in just a few weeks I'll be starting seeds. My seed starting shelf and lights go in the same area as the Christmas tree so when that moves out Im ready to get ready. Got seeds coming soon from seed swap and ordered a few things through the fall so I don't need to wait long.

Hi Judy.
I am an early riser no matter what the time of year. My grown kids will all be here for afternoon. The holidays are nice because when they are over I also tune up garden plans. Its a way to not focus on the horrible weather from January to March which is when we see spring bulbs emerge.

Jo ann ,
I used to live in Buffalo so I know what you mean about cold months. Such a relief since we've lived in south, no bleak months of winter, just a few really cold days scattered in with coolish weather. And leaves gone back on trees in late February. Sending you warm thoughts.