Spring has sprung, Garden flowers are coming up quickly and Charlottesville Gardening events abound.

Spring fever has hit as the sleet rains down but the Robin's have arrived so no one thinks this burst of bad weather is going to last. Just a few clumps of Daffodils have begun to bud so hoping there won't be grave losses of flowers as the bad weather rolls in over the next week. Lots of changes are happening in Charlottesville on Forsythia Hill.

Spring is my favorite time to garden because its not humid and the plants are just emerging. It is super easy to divide and relocate plants while foliage is short and buds have not appeared. I've even divided Daffodils during this time but you may sacrifice some of their show until next year. Check out my garden as it grows on youtube.

Line to enter native plant sale at Ivy Creek Nature Center

On the hunt for unique plants this Spring? You should not miss several upcoming annual Charlottesville events. Insects are searching for their favorite plants so add some beneficials to your garden. The Native Plant Sale always has a little this and that for me to snag. Truth be told, they have tons of plants and I've purchased so many over the years that my selection choices have nearly been exhausted. A few of my favorite past purchases were Asters and Viburnum shrubs. Check it out on Saturday, April 27 from 1-3.  Another popular sale with tons of great plants is the Master Gardeners Plant Sale. It has relocated to the Shops at Stonefield outdoor lawn on Saturday, May 4, 2019. I also follow an active local gardening Facebook site that often hosts a Spring swap, https://www.facebook.com/groups/cvilleplantswap.

The chickens have begun laying again! Many chickens go on strike during the short days of winter and Spring brings on lots of coop laying action. A friend gave me 3 of her hens so we're experiencing a recent influx of eggs at the moment. We are now getting 3 - 4 eggs a day from our 6 girls.

I love Cville

To tide you over until the garden gets going, check out the Tom Tom Festival in Charlottesville the week of April 8, 2019. The Tom Tom Foundation is a nonprofit that celebrates entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and creators who shape cities and communities across the nation. The summit convene experts, practitioners, and innovators for a week of keynotes, workshops, round tables and mixers. Over 200 speakers will present this year. The theme this year is Building Better Hometowns.

~Rebecca

The Perfect Storm... for Spring

Crocus are always the first to open.

April certainly is being ushered in appropriately, as the saying goes... April Showers bring May Flowers! The recent snow and never ending rain is creating the perfect storm for buds to pop open and plants to FINALLY show off their beauty.

A little mini, always first Daffodil to open.

As plants wax and wane with the seasons, so do I. When Spring blossoms begin to open I have serious cabin fever and when Fall finally arrives I'm exausted from gardening and am ready to hunker down and regenerate. My perennial plants go through the same phases - opening bright and cheery in the Spring and dying withered from standing tall while working hard to expand their roots through long hot Summers. Almost relieved to be taking a rest from all the progress they have made during that one season.

Ted holding just two of hundreds of Dahlia he raises.

When thinking back on past Springs I can help but imagine what this year has to offer. Last year I planted hundreds of Daffodils and several perennials and shrubs from my gardening friend Ted's wonderful garden. New plants give me something to look forward to once they get settled in and start to show off. It typically takes a few seasons for plants to regenerate from being started from seed or transplanted. This is the second season for Naked Ladies, May Queen Daisy, Hibiscus, Sedum, Daylily, and Daffodil. I have a special tree bed where I pop in tree starts, allowing them to grow a few seasons to gain some height so hopefully the Deer won't mow them down to the ground. I've learned that planting a small tree out on Forsythia Hill is near certain death. It's not quite time to plant out any into the yard but it is always fun to watch their growth.

Our Mockingbird on guard in HIS Forsythia Hedge.

Of course I am elated to see the Forsythia in bloom on Forsythia Hill in Charlottesville, Virginia. It passes quickly but it's worth the wait. Looking out today the yellow buds are opening on light brown woody stems.  It's pretty cool to just see a mass of yellow without the green leaves that will soon appear. I can see Forsythia out of every window in the house, hence the name of our property. I even transplanted some several seasons ago creating new patches of Forsythia. You can never have enough! It creates a Secret Garden for nature in our yard. Mockingbirds, snakes, mice, rabbits, foxes and who knows what else is hiding in the Forsythia Hedge!

One Forsythia Hedge in peak bloom last year.

The rain is to be here a few more days and then temperatures are to rise, creating the perfect storm for blossoms all over Charlottesville, Virginia to burst open, eager to put on a new year of growth.

HAPPY SPRING. Get out and explore!

-Rebecca