Spring has sprung-Snowdrops in bloom

I wasn’t ready for the change of seasons but spring couldn’t wait. Cheery little snowdrops are leading the way and the hellebores aren’t far behind.  Their bright white flowers really stand out in the post-winter garden.  I was extra happy because last year I had to move a clump while the foliage was still green, and the shock looked like it was too much for the little cutie, yet it showed up this spring looking strong and healthy.

That was the good news that greeted me yesterday.  The bad news was that there are still patches of garlic mustard in the yard, which was terribly disappointing.  I was sure I had finally slain that beast.  So, I spent a couple of hours weeding it out of the “hidden garden,” a spot in the yard that you can’t really see from the street or house.  Today I will work on the second driveway-there’s a thick patch there too.  Did you know I’ve been weeding out garlic mustard since the summer of 2009?  Ugh.

Another bit of bad news was that our neighborhood deer gang stopped by again and must have been very hungry.  I found that they chewed down one of my kerrias and ate some pulmonaria and epimedium, all things they aren’t supposed to eat.  Now the only plants in my yard that have remained completely untouched this winter are my hellebores. 

A bit of green for St. Paddy's Day

Garlic Mustard-not the kind of green I wanted to see on St. Paddy's Day

A shadow lurks over my garden, and its not the rainclouds that we are expecting later today.  It's reality, smacking me upside the head.  Now that the snow cover is gone, I can see just how much work I have cut out for me this year.  Garlic mustard is rampant throughout my yard, despite my heroic eradication efforts last year.  It's just a big mess everywhere I look.  Last night I couldn't sleep well because I was just so overwhelmed by it all. 

American Heuchera-either 'Dale's Strain' or 'Green Spice'

So, today, I grabbed my notepad and just started looking around.  I quickly realized it wasn't all doom and gloom.  I was cheered to see some snowdrops getting ready to bloom.  Seriously, those little beauties just glow with happiness!  Most perennials turn to mush over the winter but I saw some green that wasn't my dreaded arch-enemy, garlic mustard.  I saw some epimedium, hellebores, sweet cicely, male fern, lungwort, thyme and 'Angelina' sedum that looked like they were ready for spring.  My new favorite plant, American heuchera, was looking quite well too.  I even saw fat red buds on my two tree peonies (this was their first winter) which put a big smile on my face to know that they made it.

Snowdrops-ready to bloom

My kitties are ready for nicer weather too.  I let Teddy out on his leash and he found a rabbit pelvis bone with two leg bones and furry feet.  He played with it for a long time, tossing it into the air.  When he saw me coming to let him back in the house, he grabbed it and brought it to me, tail held high, excited to bring the nasty plaything in the house.  When I foiled his awesome plan for indoor fun and wouldn't let him bring it in, he sat by the door, pitifully meowing, trying to get me to let him back out to get his grisly new toy.  I finally had to pull out the kitty treats to distract him.