Plants and Snow

A look out the window reveals what is going on in our garden . Mother Nature has covered the garden with snow. For now, any ideas we might have had  about working in the garden have been put on hold. Perhaps the weather will change, and it will warm up and melt this snow, but then again perhaps not. Around here they say a snow fall like this makes people get in the mood for Christmas shopping. For gardeners like us , it puts us in the mood for catalogs. The seed catalogs have been coming  for a few weeks. It's way too early to start seeds. They can be put off till later, but the first "exotic" plant catalog has arrived, and from one of our  favorite companies. Please note this is not an ad. We have received nothing from this company except excellent service, and the most carefully packed plants that we ever received through the mail.

High Country Gardens "Collector's Edition 2011

With all that snow outside, how is a gardener supposed to resist paging through this catalog of gorgeous plants. Just in case our sales resistance is strong, a free shipping good through 1/2/11 adds an extra little push. Even passing by all the plants that are not hardy in zone 4, a plant order that qualifies for that clever free shipping deal was a cinch. Once the plants have been ordered, we have all winter to leaf through the pages of the catalog admiring the pictures of Western Wood Lilies, Pineleaf Garden Pinks, Hula Dancer, Mexican Hat, Ozark Coneflower, Sunset Hyssop, Sweet Iris, Prarie Fire and Prarie Smoke knowing that in the spring our plants will arrive in a well packed box, ready to be tucked into their own special spot in the garden.

Chilling Out

Outside the garden is in a holding pattern. It's chilly and snowing. Here the green grass is still showing, but my friend at just a slightly higher elevation, has snow on the ground. This is not unusual weather for April here. Sometimes we get some serious snow in April or May.




Ed took the opportunity to get the rest of the inside seeds started. My onion plants arrived today. We opened the box, admired the plants and put them aside in the basement to chill out until they can be planted outside.