Must be SPRING

[plantsnobin]

Went to a meeting yesterday, and there were 6 skunks on the road. Spring can't be far behind.

[bluelacedredhead]

Were they out for a walk? Or playing Possum?

[robertb]

Spring it is, with sheets of snowdrops out, and bees flying when the sun gets out of bed. The Hellebores aren't looking too happy, but they're flowering. An off-white one I got a few years ago to replace a proper white that was nicked has turned lemon-yellow. I rather hope it stays that colour!

[ottawagardener]

We're in the great melt month and there is definitely less snow on the ground than there was yesterday. Tra la alalalal lalalalalal!

[Dan]

saw some of the first flying insects the other day.....and so it begins....

[iva]

Insects here too, all the snow melted and first flowers are coming up, but today it is snowing again. Grrrr....

[flowerpower]

Spring seems a long way off. We got over 4 ft of snow last week. But I'd rather see heavy snow now than in April or May.

[Penny]

No skunks up here yet, but there are alot of birds out now..............come on Spring!

[plantsnobin]

Robert, someone stole a hellebore out of your garden?! That's terrible. I know of people who won't give garden tours because of that. Seems some choice plants have disappeared after tours. I gladly share with people if I have enough of something, but if someone came in & stole, that would be a totally different thing.
I'm sorry for you who still have snow on the ground. We have had more snow this year than in recent memory, but still nothing like what some of you have regularly. I just don't know that I could stand it. Right now it is 30 and sunny, we are supposed to hit 50's by weekend!!!

[robertb]

I had all sorts of stuff nicked a few years ago. It was a neighbour, and all sorts of stuff has turned up since she's gone! Basically she and her husband spent at least twenty years nicking plants and garden stuff all over the site, while going round accusing everyone else. I had problems because I stood up to their bullying.

[ottawagardener]

My eldest was playing kick the snow chunk and break the ice today. She said that she was digging for ice age fossils then she held up a handful of crystalline icy snow and said, "look mom, fossilized aphids." Ha! I was showing her aphids on one of my overwintered pepper plants earlier. The plant is actually doing quite well quaranteened in a north facing window - it's a scotch bonnet.

Speaking of plant-kid moments, we homeschool and I wanted to check my eldest's phonics skills so I had her read me something but all I had immediatley at hand (I was drinking my coffee and didn't want to get up) was a book on the origin of plant names. She got a kick out of the fact that viola (her favourite flower) comes from the Greek (something she's really into right now) word Ion for purple (her favourite colour). Whattaya know.

There is less snow today than yesterday.

[bluelacedredhead]

Fossilized Aphids? That's Priceless

Telsing, I was going to suggest a Purple theme garden for your daughter. But she's only young right? By next week her favourite colour could be turquoise. Then you'd be stuck with a lot of purple veggies like Hungarian Black Peppers and Cherokee Purple Tomatoes that you probably wouldn't want to eat, cuz who eats those weird coloured heirlooms anyway.

[ottawagardener]

Actually she's been into purple since before she could talk and seems firmly committed at 6 years but you never know...

I might ask her if she wants a purple themed garden. It's one of the easier colours to do!

[sublimekid]

purple themed garden? you have some lucky kids. I bet there as nice as you are.

[ottawagardener]

Thanks Sublimekid! She's nicer.