Ostara (Spring Equinox) is still 25 days away but already Spring’s in the air here. I’ve heard Rock singing in the morning (Robins are a sure sign of Spring.), two wild canaries have shown up to partake of the bird freeder, and the doves are getting ready to start a new family.

Friday I spent a few hours cleaning up the Concrete Jungle which meant schlepping things out to the dumpster. I think I made 10 trips in all. Ramses LOVES being out there with me – “with me” being the operative phrase because each time I returned from a dumpster trip he was there in the entryway waiting for me to return so he could accompany me back outside. Which he did. Ten times. At least he wasn’t getting himself in trouble catching birds or trying to climb the fence. LOL.

I lost a handful of plants during the time they spent indoors last November:

But the majority survived, including all of the herbs which had to reside on the new baker’s rack where they received a modicum of sunlight each day…

and the impatiens which overwinter here quite nicely when protected from frost. Most of these are on their second year.

Yesterday – with the help of my trusty sidekick – I began reconfiguring the Concrete Jungle. I’m on version 3.0. First task was re-installing some of the plant hoops along the fence. These will hold all my herbs and any other plants that require full sun. (I fully intend on growing more pepper plants this year.)

I tried using Tim’s electric drill but it worked for shit, so I relied on the more reliable method of attaching each hoop by hand. (Ever hear of the saying “Put your back into it”? Well, I did. Unfortunately, I strained my lower left back – nothing yoga and a couple of White Willow Bark didn’t ease.)

With most of the herbs transferred to the fenceline, I relocated this monster of a Nasturtium which I grew from seed back in 2023!

The week before the 2024 Great Painting Project I’d repotted the Pinellia tripartita (aka “Green Dragon”). She’d been in that same pot from day one and the soil had compacted over time. When I dug-up all the corms I must’ve had over 50!!! What soil was left was remarkably healthy, most likely due to the worm castings I added each Spring. As I was unearthing the corms I noticed two things: (1) no roots and (2) they were in layers all the way down. I decided to use two pots and layered them in each, with the fat end of the corm down. I crossed my fingers I would not lose any of them as this plant is extremely hard to find. Guess what? My Green Dragon is showing signs of life!!! The shoots she’s putting out is another sign that Spring is just around the corner…

When moving plants back I decided to keep three of my hellebores on the front porch. It’s the perfect lighting situation and one of them has even graced me with a flower.

The fourth one, a recently-purchased “Onyx Odyssey” might be getting ready to put out a flower of her own.

This is what the flowers look like:

Another sign of Spring: The first Viola odorata flower of the season.

I am far from over with the re-design, though. I ordered another (larger) plant rack which will be delivered this week and I’m trying to decide what to do with this:

Whoever loves and understands a garden
will find contentment within.
– Chinese proverb