Gardening A to Z: F is for Forsythia

I never really was a big fan of forsythia bushes. I don't know why. I remember having them while I was growing up. They just never did anything for me. But this year is different. I think I am noticing them a bit more this year because they remind me of my dad. He was always so happy to see them bloom and always had a bush in his yard. With the unseasonably warm temperatures, the forsythia bushes burst into bloom earlier than usual. It was a taunt that spring was just around the corner. Of course, last night there was a bit of snow and it is really cold. It doesn't feel like spring at all. But those forsythia bushes seem to hold a promise that warmer weather and sunny days will soon be here.

Photo by Ulrike Groesel on SXC

How to Make a Sensory Garden

People who know me well know that I have a soft spot for children with issues such as sensory processing disorder. The other day, I found a blog post that could easily combine this desire to help children with my love for gardening!

A guest poster on Hartley's Life with 3 Boys shared how to plan a simple sensory garden, that encompasses all of those senses involved in SPD. These eight senses are sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, proprioception, vestibular, and introception. Parents can easily draw up a diagram, and then include their children in the gardening process, to fulfill those needs. It's actually amazingly simple to do. Check it out!

You can also follow Hartley Steiner's blog on Twitter @parenting SPD.

Spring gets buried....and I'm jealous of elementary children.

Living in Upstate NY feels like torture at this time of year. The weather has been getting warmer, and on Saturday, it was a little rainy. With all of the snow melting, I took some time to peruse the gardens. And lookie at what I found! Can you see all of the daffodils and tulips slowly pushing out of the ground?

I get so excited when I see a little growth. And while there is always some green that lingers year-round under the snow, it still felt good to see the little primroses and ivy geraniums poking through, also.

Though it was raining, I could still smell the fresh earth, and left for my day trip with a renewed sense of happiness. We got back to town really late last night. When I got home and went to bed, it was about 50 degrees outside, and I had visions of trying to go outside today to clean up the yard a bit.

Alas, I woke up to snow on the ground. There was about two inches of snow, with the promise of much more to come today. I have enjoyed the snow, and my newfound joy of hiking in it. But enough is enough already!

My students are ready for spring, also. On Friday, one of them asked me when we were going to start our plantings for the year. And, while doing reading to find articles for my Montessori Writer website, I came across this article about children at Countryside Montessori in Tampa, FL, who are already harvesting food from their school gardens.

I can already taste the vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh green beans. We went to Walmart to go shopping when we got back into town last night. They already had a bunch of bulbs and seeds on display. It took all of my self-restraint to not start buying them. Maybe in a couple of weeks? I'm sooooooo ready!

Signs of Spring....Really, it's coming!

This has been a long winter. While it hasn't been the worst winter I've ever experienced, it still feels extremely long and I am beyond ready for digging my hands in the dirt. We keep getting teased, as it will get warm and there is a thaw. Recently, almost all of the snow melted, and I could see my grass. I wasn't wearing a coat, in Upstate NY, in February. And then, the next day, it was like a blizzard. I'm learning to go hiking in the snow, but I want my garden. I want my flowers. I want the small of mulch and to have to take two showers a day because I'm so dirty.

Finally, the other day, the snow was almost gone. I started examining the gardens. And there it was. A hint of spring. The hyacinths are starting to poke through, already, in February.

Doesn't that make you feel warm and fuzzy and hopeful?

Nevermind that the next day, we were hit with yet another huge storm that dumped almost a foot of snow. A little bit of that melted away, and rumor has it we may be hitting the 50s this week. I'll be on the hunt again, soon.