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How hardy are you?

Today’s very windy, grey, and chilly, and they’re predicting three days of likely snowfall later this week. So to brighten my spirits I decided to post some of the pictures I took a few days ago on the beautiful, sunny, warm days we had before the vernal equinox arrived.

Although folks who live in town have bare yards, I still have plenty of snow in mine.
snowy yard

Despite that, many plants are poking out their heads or sharing their lovely greenness.

Here’s a lenten rose (hellebore) just waiting to show its dusty rose flowers.
hellebore

And my wintercreeper (euonymous) that stays green all year round.
wintercreeper euonymous

This is a sweet English primrose (primula) pushing through the dead leaves.
English primrose

The same is true in the wild — plants are moving to take early advantage of the light through the tree canopy. Mosses…
mosses

…ferns…
ferns

…buttercups…buttercups

…and one of my favorite spring ephemerals, herb robert, a lovely little true geranium.
herb robert

Spring is absolutely my favorite season. I love to see these little green things, to learn what’s strong enough to wait months under more than a foot of snow cover and come out smiling.

I try to be similarly philosophical about how my less-than-favorite animals make their way through the winter, too, but don’t always succeed. Last year the moles decimated a good sized patch of crocosmia I’d had for well over a decade. This year they attacked a beautiful stand of creeping phlox.
mole damage

The crocosmia and creeping phlox were on different sides of the same bed. It’s my only bed that’s pretty much all nice, loose, sandy soil that was hauled in as opposed to the thick, heavy clay I’ve spent years building up. No wonder the moles like it!

I have to figure out what I can plant in that bed that the moles can’t hurt so much, and need input from other gardeners out there. Any ideas?

3 comments to How hardy are you?

  • I so totally feel for you, still stuck in the winter doldrums… Our hellebore have about bloomed out, the blooms are fading to green, each little pod full of seeds…
    March is totally a riot of colour here and y’all got zilch…

    ‘preciate the tour of the garden, and hope the rodent video I posted at the v7forum helps.

    • Peg Cherre

      Stone – Thanks for your comment, and the video. I’ll have to find somplace to watch the video since, my rural ‘high speed’ isn’t really fast enough to watch videos. I find it interesting that you think it’s voles, not moles. I had just assumed moles, and don’t know enough about voles to have an opinion.

      Regarding still being in winter, I guess you get used to it over the years. The good news is that it makes for some great conditions for maple syrup!

  • […] it to post every other day. Not my goal. Life seems to intervene. Anyway, here's today's post – How hardy are you? I need some advice on coexisting with moles…do you have any? Share […]

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