I owe you an I and a J

I've been busy. What can I say? It was in the 60s on Sunday and then it was in the 70s on Monday! What's a gal to do? It was waaaay too nice to be inside, on a computer doing ANYTHING! I spent many, many hours outdoors those two days cleaning, clipping, clearing things out for the spring. Some major improvements have been made around here in the last couple of days. I feel like I'm far behind, but I'm not. I have to remind myself that last year was a big fluke and that it's not normal to have things planted in March in Massachusetts. It was wonderful, but not normal!

So, things are cleaned up and I've put the herb garden outside, but that's about the extent of it. I also planted some incredible dwarf columbine and a yellow Icelandic poppy that I will show in the coming days. I also discovered a lot of tete-a-tetes that I had planted and forgotten about last year and a number of little goodies popping up, so that was a nice surprise that came from the clean-out that I did!

In the spirit of the recent blogging challenge, here are my entries for the letters "i" and "j"...

I - is for:
Iris. I planted this YEARS ago and have never gotten one dang bloom from it, so I replanted it - very shallowly, which is what you're supposed to do - and it really seems to have spread quite a bit, so I'm hopeful for blooms this year...


Ivy:
As much as this takes over most gardens, this has been slow to spread, but I am thinking of removing it altogether. What say you?

J is for:
Jacob's Ladder. I L.O.V.E. this plant. I love the foliage. I love the purple flowers. I love love love this! I want more!

In other world news, it was my husband's Step-Mother's birthday today, so a big shout-out to her! Hooollllaaaah! We just got back from a lovely dinner in honor of her birthday!

Also, too? Today I gave a talk and did a couple demonstrations for a garden club in Marblehead (a neighboring town)! It was most fun and there were about 70-80 very nice ladies who attended! I did one long, rectangular planter with the same columbine I bought for myself, creamy ranunculus, white violas, creamy yellow pansies, romaine lettuces, cilantro and a dried element called ting! It was a big hit!

Then I also did an in-the-round container with white nemesia in the center, creamy yellow pansies, white alyssum, romaine lettuces and pussy willow branches! Lovely!

Off to watch some TV and then to bed!~

Later y'all! : )