Hooded Mergansers in my back Pond

This past week I have awoken every day to two sets of visitors in the pond behind our house. They don't stay for long and are gone with-in hours, but these Hooded Mergansers are a delight to see, and a nice change from geese and Mallards.

Spring Clean Up

I spent the weekend cleaning up the garden beds of last years growth, as I left a lot of it up over the winter so the yard wouldn't look so bare. From the clean-up I was able to discover many plants with new growth already.

I keep a garden journal of each year's growth, and found that last year, new growth for many plants didn't appear until the middle of April. This year, with the 50 degree weather, I found the following plants peeking out:

• Peonies
• Yarrow
• Hostas
• Black Eyed Susan
• Alliums
• Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinth
• Iris
• Helenium
• Bachelor Button
• Sedum

Now, let's just hope the bunnies don't have a buffet dinner with my plants!

March Baskets Bring May Flowers

Last Saturday I decided to stop by Pahls in Apple Valley to check out their Moss Basket Days. I spent some bucks to create a basket of sun loving plants (you can also create one for shady gardens too). For the size basket I got, I was able to choose 12 plants to put in it. I can't remember most of what I put in there, so I will have to wait until May when I pick up the basket from Pahls to view the plant cards. It is a pretty cool concept, as March makes all us Northern gardeners get Spring fever, and this event lets us get our hands dirty for an hour when it is still frozen outside. Pahls waters and takes care of the baskets until it is safe to take them outside, and I have to pick mine up before May 7th.

The place was pretty packed, and when I arrived in the early afternoon, alot of plants were starting to get cleaned out. I can't wait to see if my creation actually has any visual appeal, so will let you know when I pick it up!

With the Melting Snow Comes Surprises

The east side of my home has had the benefit of tons of sun the last two weeks, and of course is no longer covered with snow. I checked things out a day ago to see what kind of clean up I was going to need to do, as I left some of my coneflowers up during the winter so the birds could have some seeds. You can only imagine how surprised I was to find some tulips coming up already.

And of course I was shocked to see this Pansy, just a few feet away, with green leaves and a yellow flower still shining like it just bloomed. All of this had been under three feet of snow for the last four months!