A Winter Cleaning?

Ah...the first lawn mowing of the season. Yep. I did that today, along with a plethora of other things in my gardens. My Pauwlonia Tomentosa was never intended to get blooms in my garden. I want the huge tropical leaves only, so I pollard it each spring, both to keep the blooms off and the leaves huge. Check. It's always amazing to me how fast it grows...15 feet in one year! That girl wants to grow!
As I pruned off last years remaining branches, leaves and growth on many of my perennials...I was really surprised to see them already growing...even a couple of hostas! Don't they know it is still February?
I also opened up one of my outdoor living rooms...some animals...stray cats, possums or perhaps raccoons, had decided the couch out there was as comfortable as we humans do. It's alright; a little elbow grease and the muddy stains will come right off. I thought about working on several fountains too (I think a garden without water features is like a garden without plants!) but it was still a little chilly for me to be knee deep in musty, moldy, rotting leafy water! Still...if the nice weather continues....
I did promise last fall that I would tell everyone about my palm tree protection experiment...do I have to? Really?
Well, it was utter failure! All three of them are as dead as a door nail, I have never understood that phrase, but you get the idea. It's always difficult to know who to trust, and so many people have so many different experiences; sometimes you just gotta go for it yourself and see what happens. Instead of beating myself up too much though, I chose to see it as a chance to plant three different things this year...and plant them I will!
I also noticed that my Salix Magnifica was already budding out. If you have not seen this plant you must find it. I think I got mine at Dancing Oaks Nursery. Heck of a drive but so worth the effort! Very large oval leaves follow the biggest catkins I have ever seen. Truly a unique specimen.
Spring in the garden is always about racing to me...racing to get the last years leaves raked up before the new plants emerge or I might damage the tender new growth. Racing to prune off last years remnants for the same reason. Racing everything cleaned up before the spring bulbs force themselves up. Racing to get pre-emergent down before the evil villainous weeds take hold. Racing to mulch. Racing to get the veggie area ready....but all that racing pays off for months to follow. Because summer will afford those most lazy of days where you set in a chair or lay in a hammock having the beverage of your choice and start dreaming about all the things that might have been and that you want to do....Happy dreams my friends....and ...
Happy Gardening!
William

P.S. Don't forget the new season of Garden Time starts March 6th! Check your local listings for the times...see you then.