I'm obsessed with plants.

No pictures today, my camera battery needs to be charged. Tons I could photograph though, Hunter's cuddling with Laura Jane on a blanket on the living room floor, and Ben and Joey are building an enormous train track in the kitchen, being adorable. Sigh.

So I mentioned how anxious I was for that day, that spring day where it's not too cold to go outside, not too cold to explore my roses, and look for bulbs, and just be outside. The day came yesterday, and I was outside as much as I could be. When the boys napped I pruned some old leaves off the roses, and inspected other plants. I have my work cut out for me, as it appears the mulch I used caused some mold in the rose beds. I think I'll be out there this afternoon clearing them. I also used a exterior protective coating to seal up the twig furniture, and all 4 pieces are now sitting on the deck (I did the work in the kitchen, and let them dry overnight, and then moved them out, as paint/sealer needs good temps to dry properly). Joy. Laura and I sat out in the breeze yesterday. I curled up in the rocker with a hot coffee and stack of magazines, and Laura lay beside the rocker and lifted her nose to enjoy the scents of spring. Blissful. And actually relaxing, heaven forbid.

I also moved some of the garden treasures I've accumulated this winter outside. I scored this 6 plant cottage style plant stand for $15 the other day, by the way! Total score! I brought up the angel Ben picked out, and angel I picked out, some cement turtles, balls, and squirrels. Lots of crap to spread out throughout the garden... fun.

Then in the afternoon I decided some of my plants could use some repotting & fertilizing. I spent hours adding new potting soil to plants, and moving some plants into larger container, pruning, and planting seeds. Most exciting? I brought up the tender bulbs I stored in the basement, and it looks like most of them made it through the winter! If you recall each year I try and challenge myself to learn something new in the garden, be it perrenials, annuals, roses, edibles, herbs... last year was tender bulbs. The fact that they were all alive when I went to check on them is thrilling for me, thrilling in that turn up the radio and do a happy dance all afternoon kind of thrilling. The kitchen counter still isn't clean b/c I did not finish my artwork. I planted a dahlia & all the gladiolas in pots and put them in a sunny window. I decided to wait on the cannas, but the cannas don't look like they want to wait for me--they are already poking up little shoots!

I made my first container for the year--two agapanthus, ivy, aternanthera, iresine, and couple balloon flower seeds. It look fabulous! It should be a container I can bring in and out for years to come.

Evening came and I realized I did not even think about dinner. When I garden I forget to pee, drink water, eat, everything. I completely lose myself. The boys had been pkaying trains busily, and they had not snacked either. And, I needed one of those plastic dishes to put below one of my pots, so I ventured out to Menards and Farm and Fleet, with a quick drive through Taco Bell for some 5 pt Chicken Soft Tacos. I came home with some summer bulbs I am very excited about! I came home with a large pack of purple gladiolas, purple liatris, purple and blue anemone, an orange wyoming canna, dark red oriental lilies, and stargazer lilies. I also grabbed more seeds, including carrots, balloon flowers, agastache, two types of columbine, and another type of delphinium called, "blue mirror." I also drooled over some fountains at Menards. They have this one birdbath with a pineapple in the middle and it's a fountain- for $59.00. Whoa, was I excited about that one, but by the time I save up enough for it it'll be gone b/c it's a clearance item. Rats.

This year my challenge continue to be roses, but also I WILL make delphinium work in my garden, In fact, I want hundreds of them. This is the first year I will make one type of plant my real focus. I love delphinium, and I want to make them work. So here goes...

Know what else? I also bought roses. Yes, here in the snowy March of Wisconsin I bought live roses... and I have to keep them alive until April 13 when I can safely put them in the ground. I just could not resist. I saw these roses selling for $3.99, in varieties I've worked with, that I know survive our harsh zone 4/5 winters, and they looked so healthy! I bought another Kordes Perfecta, another Double Delight, and a climbing Don Juan. They're soaking right now. I think I'm going to put them in pots until April 13th. Then again, I think I might be able to leave them in the paper and plastic they come in if I can keep them moist. Bareroot roses are my other challenge this year. Wish me luck, b/c if I can master this, at $3.99 a piece I can have hundreds of roses!

Thanks for reading my garden rambling. Have a great day everyone!