Happy Saturday my fellow gardeners and welcome to another SMGB!
Since the start of the new year we have seen the snow melt away as we have had warmer, milder temperatures move into the valley here in southern OR. I have been taking advantage of the pleasant warmer days and have been doing some cleaning up out there in preparation for the spring. I have some plants sheltered against the building and it seems to keep them humming along. The fuchsia had an unopened bud on it that I figured would fall off or I would prune it back but then yesterday I saw it was opening!
It was nice enough on Monday that M and I decided to walk down to the library. One of the local dispensaries is in this funky old pharmacy building and the mural is cool, but the fact that the tree next to the place is still decorated for the holidays is what really made me get out my phone for a pic:
“The color of springtime is flowers; the color of winter is in our imagination.”
--Terry Guillemets
Crossing over Bear Creek I noticed some of the bright green mosses along the banks.
"It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it." – John Burroughs
After our jaunt I was happy to be back home and peruse my new books and 2022 seed catalogs:
"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."
– William Blake
This leads me to talk about books as I got the two pictured above for Christmas. They are by Kevin Espiritu, who is the man behind the website and YouTube channel Epic Gardening.
I have skimmed through the Urban Gardening a bit, but I am focused more on the Grow Bag Gardening as that is what I will be continuing with this year. Both of these books are easy to jump into, explain things quickly and connect the what-how-why of his garden advice. I enjoy his YouTube videos so perhaps I am a bit pre-disposed to enjoy the books but I would recommend them to others.
Our weekend weather is hopefully going to be more sun and mild temperatures. I am looking forward to getting all my grow bags and containers freshened up with new potting mix and I already put an order in for some veggie plants. Sunset is slowwwly getting later each day and while our last frost date is still a way off I can’t help but feel like spring is just around the corner. Until then I am content to dream and plan with my books and catalogs.
"There is no winter without snow, no spring without sunshine, and no happiness without companions."
- Korean Proverb
What about you? What is going on in your garden? Jump on in below and let us know!
I am on the Left coast so may be a bit late to join the comments so please play nice and keep the coffee on;)