It rained here last night, actual RAIN, not that frozen white stuff which made yet another appearance on Monday and Tuesday. When I stepped outside this morning to head over to Nose Hill, I could smell it in the air.
Spring.
This time, I suspect it’s for real. The birds definitely think so.
And, apparently, so do the crocuses on Nose Hill. It may be a bit cheesy to say so, but it made my heart absolutely sing to see the furry little guys.
I stopped off at Whispering Woods (recall my winter post here) on my way home to see if the crocuses had sprung up there, but none were to be found. The aspens were putting on quite a show, though.
We’ve just pulled through EIGHT snow-filled months here in Alberta – boy, is it time to celebrate! I’m eager to get out and begin that long-awaited clean up in my perennial beds. What are your plans (gardening or otherwise) for this wonderful weekend?
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Flowery Prose 
Yeah, spring! I have to admit I took a chance last weekend and planted bulbs and carrot and parsnip seeds. This weekend I will put in more bulbs, start painting garden furniture and possibly start building a new deck. We are in spring overload.
Thanks for the crocus pics. I’m going to look when we are out at the cabin to see if we can spot some. I noticed pussy willows were out last weekend.
Wonderful – you already have some seeds in! (You’ll have to let me know how your parsnips do – I’ve yet to try planting them and I’m curious). Hope you have a chance to do all that you’ve planned for the weekend…and get some time to relax in this amazing sunshine as well! Enjoy! 🙂
What a long winter you had! Have an absolutely wonderful spring weekend and soak up all that fresh spring air! 😀 I have some planting to do – two new clematis arrived by mail order this week. 😀
Thank you, Cathy – I hope you are having an amazing sunshine-filled weekend as well! 🙂 New clematis are such a treat – what varieties are they?
Hi Sheryl. I’ve planted both: Clematis integrifolia Pangbourne Pink, a shrubby one for ground cover with bell-shaped flowers, and Clematis orientalis Orange Peel – a vigorous climber for my new obelisk! I had one in my first garden and love it! 😀
Both of those are so lovely! Have fun growing them!
I can understand your excitement! I would be a bit crazy if I had to endure eight months of snow. I hope your days continue to warm up and become more colorful with blooms.
I must admit, I was nearly doing a little jig up there on the Hill when I saw those crocuses! (Glad there wasn’t anyone else around to see it – I’m not much of a dancer!). 😉 We’ve finally had a stretch of sunshine and balmy temperatures, and everything is greening up lightning-fast.
I so loved your post “The Moon and the Stars” (http://dreamingofroses.blogspot.ca/2013/05/the-moon-and-stars.html) – it was beautifully told. Such wonderful memories!
After so many months of wintery weather I’d be excited too!
The Nose Hill crocus look a lot like Pasque flowers (?). I’d recognize those furry stems anywhere, although I have never personally seen that color of flower before. I have a dark purple and maroon colored Pasque flower. I have some pics here: http://threedogsinagarden.blogspot.ca/2011/05/two-plants-with-great-foliage.html
I believe that they are a native plant in the western Canada (?). Here is a link you may find interesting: http://cwf-fcf.org/en/discover-wildlife/flora-fauna/flora/pasque-flower.html
As to my gardening plans, I am weeding away and trying not to feel overwhelmed. Today I planted my tomatoes, but will have to put them under the protective cover of a glass cloche at night. Evenings are still frosty! Happy gardening this weekend Sheryl!
The pale Nosehill crocus are probably the the native Anemone patens. The darker coloured varieties are the European pasque flower, Anemone vulgaris.
Thanks so much, Adrian, for your reply – the Nose Hill crocus are indeed Anemone patens.
I really enjoyed your link to your photos and information about your pasque flowers, Jennifer – the blooms are such a stunning colour! And you have to adore those seed heads – they’re amazing in and of themselves. Thanks for the CWF link as well, there’s some great info there.
It’s wonderful that you’ve already planted your tomatoes! What varieties are your favourites to grow?
Finally the ice is out of my pond and the water is running! For me, that is when spring begins. Bonus: the first of our pasque flowers and Siberian squills are in bloom, and the ants are starting to assist in garden clean-up…
I haven’t seen any ants yet, but I’ve seen a couple of bees in the past couple of days – definitely a pleasant sight! I love your measure of when spring begins! 🙂
Hooray for spring! I’ve got my vegetable garden ready.
http://calgarygardencoach.typepad.com/calgarygardencoach/2013/05/this-week-in-the-vegetable-garden.html
I think your hoop house design is fabulous! Isn’t it so wonderful to finally be able to get out and prepare for planting? Can’t beat that feeling! 🙂
Eight months, whew! But the birds don’t lie, the grosbeaks and orioles have just arrived here. This weekend I have my Saturday class, I have a few more perennials to plant, and I may have to cut the grass!
You’ve been incredibly busy in your garden; it’s been great following along on your blog! I loved your post about the grosbeaks and the orioles (http://gardeninacity.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/return-of-the-prodigal-grosbeak/) – it must be so lovely to see them at the feeders again.
Yay! It HAS been a long eight months. Finally above temperatures during the night and I have some lovely crocuses growing in the ravine behind our yard. Let the growing season begin…. until the next frost or snowfall that always seems to surprise us. Your photographs are lovely. Have a wonderful weekend! ~Thea
Thanks, Thea – I hope you’re having a great weekend as well! I guess we can’t get too hasty about planting just yet, but this sunshine and warmth definitely feels amazing after such a long winter. It’s been so good to get outside and enjoy it! 🙂
The Prairie Crocuses have just started to bloom here too, I hope Spring is here to stay!
I sure hope so, too! We all deserve it, I think! 😉
Reblogged this on 20 Lines A Day.
Finally came in just after 9pm when it was getting a bit too dark to keep working in the garden. Yay Spring!
There is a lot happening in your garden right now – so exciting! I love your beautiful snowdrops (and especially your poetic description of them!). 🙂 http://oneplusonestones.blogspot.ca/2013/04/spring.html You’ll have to let me know how your hakurei turnips perform this year!
love your hairy crocuses. Spring arrived here only a a couple of weeks or so ago and fully understand your relief. Winter can feel like being marooned –
“Marooned” – that is the perfect word for it! 🙂 It feels so fabulous just to get out in the garden or go for a walk in the sun!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Hi Sherry,
Yes we think so too, it is finally coming, spring that is. We enjoy your pictures very much, You can see the beauty in a simple thing as the opening up of a poplar leaf, just like I can see beauty in small nature things, I probably got that from you. We have the first little flowers blooming, they are about 1cm across, I think they are called blue bells. We had a flurry of activity too today around our home. First I started working at 6:30 in the morning in my shop, working on one of about five projects I have on the go or planed right now and then while eating breakfast Dennis came and we sanded the deck with a HD rented sander: Dennis did the sanding and I held the cable to prevent it from being eaten up by the sander. We produced about a half barrel full of sander dust. Later Nik came and we put him to work cleaning up the branches from the front by the road where some days ago Buckey with the help of Zay had felled the poplar tree, which interfered with the spruce trees. Grace was busy raking the flower beds and played herself out. It was the first real warm spring day and one wants to do all at once.
Grace and I are doing OK, we just try to do too much at once and then get played out. Hope all is OK with you and Rob and we wish you a happy weekend.
Love
Grand pa and Grace
So glad to hear you and Grace are doing well, Grandpa! It sounds like you’ve been incredibly busy – take it easy and don’t forget to spend some time relaxing in the sunshine as well! 🙂 Sending hugs to you both!
Glad you’re finally getting some signs – I can’t believe how much snow you all have had this year!
It sure feels good to see all this sunshine! What a simply crazy winter!
Sheryl I am so glad to hear spring is finally with you! Let’s keep it going as we see more blooms.
I couldn’t agree more! Many of the trees are just now starting to leaf out and my neighbour’s forsythia is blooming as of yesterday. Good signs!