My family left Easter afternoon for a week in Florida. Way weird to be home alone. After a few hours of phantom cries, I settled into a routine of catching up in the garden as well as other as areas of my cluttered and full existence.

The weather started out a little cool, then unseasonably warm with highs in the mid 80’s on Friday followed by a cold front bringing unseasonably cold weather for Saturday and Sunday. Never venturing out of the upper 40’s, I though best never to venture out of doors. I’m not usually afraid of a little cold weather; however, I was afforded solitude and wanted to see what it felt like. As such, my weekend was filled with taxes, bills, paperwork, updating my garden journal, and reading. It helped that the cold front brought with it about a half inch of rain. It was one of the best kinds of rain – long, slow, soaking. With plenty of rain this first quarter of the New Year, optimism ruled the weekend.

The crabapple bloomed, as did more daffodils, more verbena, and more iris too. The Amaryllis started sending up green leaves and the one in the house is in full bloom. This Amaryllis shares a large container with a Bird of Paradise – the only container we bring in for the winter. David and I grew the plant from seed we got in Hawaii in 1990.

I need to move a few plants around. Perhaps I will find some time next week. I did have a chance to get dirty in the garden this week with some pruning (Beauty berry) and dead heading (Camellias.) I also move the little brick I had in the gazebo to the shed area and reset the stepping stone path that heaved in the Mix Border. I finished up at Elizabeth’s, spoke to the Wood Valley Garden Club, attended the Herb Society of Wake County’s garden club and had dinner with the visiting Board from the Garden Conservancy. Oh, yes, I guess there was a Gala in the Garden for the JCRA meeting in there too as well as needing to work in the Summer Solstice Celebration and updating my big book of media. That took some time…time requiring complete concentration and the ability to spread out…perfect time to do this project while my children were gone So, I topped of the perfect weekend with sending out many press releases for the Gala so that finally on Sunday evening, I felt somewhat caught up.

As my husband and kids pulled into the driveway, I eagerly waited them to rush with hugs and kisses. Instead I could see them from the protection of the porch as they stretched and yawned. Slowly, they came from the car with not nearly the excitement for seeing me as I had for them. As they moved more and shook off the road, they came into my arms. First Aster with a big hug, I said, “Hey buddy” with a hug and a kiss, I said “I missed you”, He replies, “I missed you more.” Sigh.

Then came Lily with the same I-don’t-ever-want-to-let-go embrace and then Lara Rose who no doubt grew a foot this week, gave me one of her famous hugs.

Within seconds, my solitude was filled with counters full of books, pillows, loads of laundry, maps, shoes, and whatever else landed there. At this moment, I thought about when my day will come as an empty nester – probably about 12 short years away. Those same piled counters a mere week ago would have sent me into a pick up and put away mode; now I say it’s fine and ask “anyone want to snuggle?”

A trip to the mailbox provided me with a surprise – a blooming Clematis armandii. This vine was looking dried and shriveled. With enough rain, I figured it got ‘bit’ from the cold winds. With brownish, crinkled leaves, it stilled flowered. I am still not convinced it will fully survive. Clematis Armandii does best in zone 7b-9. Only marginal here and best in a protected area. The one on the shed suffered the same fate. We should never underestimate chilly winds.

Roses are leafing out – in particular, Stairway to Heaven on the arbor leading to the children’s garden. It just seemed like the foliage popped overnight. Now 3 years old, I think this will be the year for Stairway to Heaven to shine.

This reminded me to fertilize my roses. March is the time to do so. I added a slow release fertilizer.

Again, I need to mention the Rosemary blooming, if for no other reason than Tony Avent mentions it as well in his Plant Delights e-newsletter. It just goes to show with all that he has going on in the national treasure he tends at Juniper Level Botanic Garden, he can still notice the Rosemary.

My friend Carol has the rosemary lining her front walk where they are sheared into hedges. It is very effective. Why rosemary is not used as a fantastic shrub more often alludes me. And it is drought tolerant. I also add a little grit as mulch under the leaves so they won’t sit in water after a rain. It is also necessary to plant Rosemary in well drain soil.

Lara Rose can’t keep up with her bird seeding responsibilities. Not sure if the birds are eating faster than she is getting it in the feeders or if she is really getting it out as often as she says she is. I make a note to check feeders more often. Of course, this is only their supplemental feed. There is plenty available in the wild. But I want the birds where I can see them, so I add supplemental feed.

We had a little rain…I measured maybe 1/8 of an inch, but the rain barrel was full…maybe that needs to be my new standard!

Spoke to the Coley Forest North Garden Club on garden accents – one of my favorite topics. With garden accents, no water is needed. No pruning, no special soil conditions, does well in sun or shade, and offers year round color and texture. The only con would be little scent, but the low maintenance makes up for that. With many more pros and cons, it is a wonder why there are not more planted in every garden.

The Peonies are coming up! I have both tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) and herbaceous Peony (Paeonia lactiflora.) If you want to help the heavy blooms, put cages down on the ground now. Then when the foliage is fuller, raise the cage top up and then stake. That way, you don’t have to look at the cage until the foliage fills in.

The iris have never looked more beautiful!

For years I re-planted Phlox (Phlox subulata) or moss Phlox on my sunny wall accent in my mixed boarder. Every year I loose it. I always thought it was because it was shaded out by the canopy of tall perennials. This year I tried it again, but between some stepping stones. Within an hour, it was nibbled to nothing. I now know bunnies do like my Phlox.

I planted my connoisseur plants. If you give a little extra to the JC Raulston Arboretum, you are rewarded with their connoisseur plants. I qualify for 2 each year – the lowest level. This year, I asked Tim Alderton, Head Gardener at the JCRA, to choose for me. I got an Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Gulf Shore’) and Toad Lily (Tricyrtis ‘Amanagowa’)

The Carolina jessamine I planted in the center of the formal rose garden looks nice. It was a good choice giving some evergreen to this area that needs color in the winter and the yellow flowers bloom before the roses, making this the perfect choice.

Aster spotted the seasons first sulfur butterfly – he’s a good spotter.

This is the time of year of new beginnings…the flowers are opening, the bees are out, and we are teased into thinking cold weather is behind us. Likely it is, but even if we do get a cold snap, we are able to “make it through” knowing our last frost date is now less than a month away (April 15.) Most of us can handle anything knowing this magical date will soon be here.

With a week of warm weather and the excitement of more rain coming, gardeners I spoke with this week had a renewed sense of starting over – leaving our bazaar year behind us and looking forward to a new and better gardening season.

I met with other members of the Raleigh Garden Club for our monthly maintenance of the Winter Garden at the JCRA. The conversation is always lively, giddy, and endearing. Usually talk is about the flowers in bloom, comparing gardening tools and techniques, plus updates on home and family. We were now talking about the break up of the weather pattern that hovered over us this last year, updates on how much rain the next rain event might bring, and the latest techniques in rain harvesting or moving water from one place to another. I look forward to going back to conversation of flowers, friends, and family.

Back home to my garden, I am amazed my bearded Iris and weeping Snow Fountain Cherry (Prunus subhirtella var. pendula) are blooming. I also notice the Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) leaves unfurling. It is an early spring.

Lily reports we received 0.9” of rain; however, hubby David, a.k.a. Daddy Dave, says it was only 0.7”. Aster sees the first Eastern Yellow Swallowtail of the season and he and David get the camera to photograph this early sighting.

With the time change from last weekend and the pretty weather, it was tough to get Lara Rose, Lily, and Aster settled enough to do homework, come in for dinner, and take a bath. Aster says, “Why bother when I will just get dirty again tomorrow? Why indeed! We decided to take a night off and chalk it off to doing our part to conserve water.