The photo above is not of a beautiful stream in the late winter. Nope … not at all … that my friends is my side yard on this beautiful warm late Winter day. Those little plants are my cheap, late season purchases of ornamental grasses that seemed so promising back in mid October. Those babies are drowning and nothing I can do about it.

I realize that the 2 feet of snow that has nearly melted here in NJ is an extreme this year. However, I find each Spring the little “plugs” of perennials/grasses I bought on the cheap the previous Autumn (doesn’t Autumn have such a pleasant sound when compared to Fall?)heave out of the ground regardless of what precautions I take (like constantly pushing them down with my monstrous boots). My soil drains horribly and is at it’s worst Winter into Spring. I need to put in the effort to address this drainage problem but … it just isn’t as fun as planting/transplanting/etc. Some day … some day.

I hate being so negative on a beautiful spring like day like today so I am treating it like another lesson learned. Those cheap little plants need to be planted earlier in the late Summer/Autumn and they need to be planted in the absolute best spots.

No new signs of Spring yet today … no emerging bulb foliage or new growth but I can feel it. I have been dreaming of moving South all Winter but you can’t beat the feeling of “surviving” the Winter and the impending new season’s arrival.

Until next time …

Wanted to document this shot as the “before” and would also love to start getting some input from you all.

This is my front bed along the garage wall. This bed faces North so gets morning sun only.

On each end of the photo are Arborvitae ‘Emerald Green’. I know these are everywhere but I like the pyramidal shape, the texture and the height it will give me pretty quickly. The deer never venture here either so I’m safe. I’m OK with these for now … I think.

Under each window are Ilex Glabra ‘Shamrock’. The conditions are ideal – part sun, consistently moist acidic soil. I like that it’s evergreen and the shape is supposed to be appealing BUT I don’t like the legginess as the lower leaves have fallen off a bit. I can’t just get rid of these but they are on a short leash.

Between the windows is an Ilex Crenata ‘Chesapeake’. Again, I think the conditions are ideal but I’ll need to give this some time to mature. I like the ultimate shape so I will actually stay patient with this one.

There is an Endless Summer Hydrangea there which was transplanted last Spring. We’ll see what color flowers I end up with in this location. Previously it was up against my foundation on the other side of my walkway and the color was a light lavender. May push it to be more pink eventually but we’ll let it play out for now.

You can’t see them but there are also 3 Chasmanthium Latifolium (Northern Sea Oats) in front of the Ilex Glabra on the left. I just planted these last Summer (I know not the right time but I still do it year after year – yell at me so I stop) so anxious to watch them grow from Spring through Fall. They can handle some shade, have an interesting texture and Fall interest so I’m pumped. They apparently re-seed easily but I’ll believe it when I see it in my wet clay.

Finally, along the front of the bed are a bunch of Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ (Catmint) which I love as an edger. The foliage is outstanding, blooms for a long time and takes well to a drastic pruning for a second bloom later in the season. Only complaint is that they get a lot bigger than is typically stated on the tags. Actually had to remove every other one of these as they grew the first season.

That is all for now. Feel free to criticize or provide your thoughts. Hopefully the “after” will be impressive. And I promise I will change my plans a number of times before the “after” is documented.

Had to attach the photo above … an ever so slight glimpse of Spring is in the air in NJ today.

A few random thoughts as I ponder what this gardening season will bring:

I need to stop planting perennials in groups of 3 in a triangular pattern. The “rule of 3” and the appeal to the eye immediately stuck with me but I have officially abused it. I vow to up the numbers to 5,7,9 (can’t get me off the odd number thing)in more of a drift pattern and less structured.

I need to be more aware of not stepping all over the beds and compacting the soil any more than it already is.

I need to not get poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac or poison arborvitae on a weekly basis. Long sleeves, “leaves of three … blah blah blah” … I know it all, just need to take the time out and pay attention to where I am.

I need to invest in soaker hoses and save myself a lot of time. I am definitely a smart waterer (sp?) and never overdo it (the good ol finger in the dirt test) and know which plants really need it (should see my Excel plant document – it is a thing of beauty) but dragging the hose around ain’t gonna cut it anymore.

I need to really dress up (did I just say that?) my front porch more with containers and shade loving plants. The view from my front porch is kick-ass (especially in hot air balloon season) and it’s time to make the family want to spend time out there.

I need to embrace the spiders even more. It’s amazing what you can get used to crawling on and around you but these guys are on steroids. They eat the bad bugs, right? Can’t break the life cycle, right? Sure.

I need to stop and enjoy it all more often.

I need to continue to screw up – only way to learn and build that knowledge base.

I need to get my 4 year old daughter out with me more often – no offense to my wife and son but she has the itch for it.

I need to really follow through and up the amount of herbs and vegetables this year. My wife is an amazing cook (no hyperbole here … you’ll see when she guest blogs in the future) and there is no excuse to not provide her with the freshest ingredients.

I need a really good camera. Because …

I need to keep blogging. I have always been pumped for the Spring but this year blows it away and the thought of documenting it all (even if the readers are minimal) has me so amped up.