Dreamin'

It's mid March, 70 degrees and my first crocus bloomed today! Knowing that we could very well have snow ahead of us I am trying desperately to keep Spring Fever at bay. But once I post this entry the flood gates will open and there will be no turning back. Not long after I hit the "publish" key I'll be checking every single plant on a daily basis. And in no particular order, what I am looking forward to the MOST..............

1. The three daylily divisions my sister gave me from her garden at the end of last year's season. I put them in post-blossom so their exact color will be a lovely surprise.

2. At the end of the season I planted a "Brookside" perennial geranium that was foliage only when I planted it. I love perennial geraniums, have a few varieties, but if "Brookside" measures up to its picture, this could turn out to be my favorite.

3. Last Spring my bright orange Oriental Poppy looked garish where it was. In my mind it also looked garish wherever I tried to imagine re-planting. I finally decided to transplant it right next to the white lattice, knowing that white can befriend ANYTHING on the color wheel. Can't wait to see if my re-lo works.

4. In its youth, my last year's Iris Siberica Butter and Sugar only put up two or three blossoms. Will it have grown exponentially over the winter? (See title of post)

5. There seems to be a disconnect between Mertensia (Virginia Bluebell) and myself. How can a color so perfectly blue and alluringly lovely be so resistant to my cajoling it into living? They do die back completely during the summer and disappear below the soil, but my last one never emerged from its dormant state. So I did what any gardener would do, put in another one. It too disappeared, as it is supposed to. The question is, will it re-appear this Spring? I may be able to live without mertensia, but I'm really not sure.......

6. If, on my garden map I enter a teeny-tiny "IC" next to a plant, it means that I have mentally put it in "Intensive Care" and doubt it will return. Flax linum, gallardia and a gloriosa daisy looked wan enough last Fall for the notation. I can't wait to see if they defied the odds.

7. Digitalis (Foxgloves) are biennials - they propogate by re-seeding. Well, in other people's gardens. Mine? Not even if I talk pretty to them. Will my last summer's new foxglove (Camelot White) reward me?

8. Will the local nursery call to say that the hard to find Niobe clematis I requested last Fall has come in? If so, I will dance all the way to the nursery.

9. Another sister (sisters are wonderful) gave me a plant I admired in her garden but we aren't quite sure what it is - thinking blackberry lily. If luck is with me it will celebrate its first Fall in my garden.

If you are a reader I would love to know what you are really excited about finding this Spring. Go ahead, feed my frenzy.