Reluctant Spring!

Thank goodness we have had a 'late spring" this year as I have certainly had a slow start to my spring garden chores.  The camellia has bloomed but the magnolia bush is still holding out for warmer days!  I have still not made my garbage can composter (but I have a can and a plan so I just need to find the right size drill bit and DO IT!) 

In the past week, I have picked up a few great gardening books from the library and I am avidly reading (secretly avoiding the real work).  My favourite so far is Gardening for the Faint of Heart by Robin Wheeler.  It is full of great ideas and encouragement.  She is also a west coaster so the information is very relevant to my "zone", which is 7, I have learned. http://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/nsdb/climate/hardiness/intro.html   And it just so happens that 7 is one of my favourite numbers so that is surely a good omen!  In Wheeler’s list of 20 excellent reasons for "why the heck I should garden?" I loved the last one best:  "Learning to garden is like riding a bicycle - you can only get better!"

So, I am heading out to continue weeding our front spring garden.  Yesterday, an hour’s work produced a piteous improvement but I was certainly happy and relaxed during and after – it’s cheaper than a massage!  This garden space is full of old tulips and crocus (that no longer flower) and many surprise perennials are now peeking through.  I plan to rebuild it into a lovely spring and summer perennial garden to greet us when we come home each day.  Today I need to remove the remaining grass, blackberry shoots and weeds as well as add some soil conditioner (compost) and additional soil.  In keeping with my frugal gardening strategies I will be using the soil from last year’s planters to build up this garden area.  I will also be able to use my new pitch fork which we bought on sale yesterday (after searching desperately for one at garage sales and second hand stores!)  I also found some wide mouth mason jars at the Habitat for Humanity Re-store so now when I have some veggies to “put up” I will have something to put them in!

Off to weed and relax!