Something Amazingly Crazy Happened After I Found Blotanical

It was incredible.  One of those one in a thousand chances that just happened.  It all started when I found a fantastic garden community online called blotanica. 

No, actually it started before that when I moved to the last place where we lived.

We moved in spring, and of course, I was busy turning a burr bush weed patch into a garden, but whenever I had to go downtown I would choose the scenic route to get there.  I would tour my neighborhood to view some of what I knew must be Owen Sound's best gardens. When there were no impatient cars behind me I would slow right down and enjoy my driving garden tour. 
I often thought of stopping to talk to a gardener along the way, but I never did.

Back to the present and my new found favorite e-community, Blotanical.  I had no idea there was one site where I could find so many garden blogs from literally all parts of the world.  I started checking out a few of the garden blogs, occasionally commenting or picking a favorite.

One gardener sent me a message back.  I had commented on her beautiful blog and she had seen where I was from.  "Where abouts in Owen Sound are you?" she asked. 

Believe it or not, from a community of thousands of gardeners from all over the world, I had connected with a gardener not only from my own town but from one of those beautiful gardens in my old neighborhood.

If your path should lead to Blotanica be sure to look me up there at my plot

Planning Changes in the Garden

February is my favorite garden planning season.  I go through my photos and check the different seasons for gaps in the floral display.  What will bloom during that specific time that will enhance the whole feel of the cottage garden?

Is there a wee bit of available ground where I could add a new perennial?

The pot of flowers looked good on the garden hose box; I'll have to do that again but planted with something pink this time.

I wonder why the delphiniums were so pale compared to these old fashioned ones I had at the last place.  Can I find some of those deeper blue delphs this year?  Putting the two together would be sharp.

It looks like the delphiniums bloom at the same time as the pink rambling rose I used to have (in the background).  My daughter kept a slip of that and now has some new plants from it.  I could take one if I could just find a spot for it, but I would have to be careful not to let it get out of hand; those thorns are treacherous.

It might work on the other side by the front walk.  There were quite a few annuals there and even some onions on the other side of the path.  I did plant some roses along there so the rambler might fit in quite well as long as I could keep it from reaching out and grabbing someone on their way to the front door.

The other thing I need to do is to decide if some of the perennials need to be moved in spring. 

Were some of the colchicum (autumn crocuses) too crowded to peek out from the thick vegetation?

All these are fun questions to think about and work with when the bitter winds are blowing outside, and the garden is covered with all that white stuff.



March is only a week away though, and that means spring is just around the corner.  The dreaming, planning time will not last for long.  So get out the pictures, or flip through mine and enjoy yourself.