Vegetable Garden Update - February 2009

Well there isn't much happening in the garden this month, other than some deer trampling around in the snow. The only bright spot is that the stores have their seeds in, so it's very easy to get caught up in the thought of spring planting.

We did just that while at Lowe's the other weekend, coming home with the latest home repair necessities AND a bag full of seeds AND a trunk full of whimsical garden decorations. The garden decorations were an early Valentine's gift for me. Too bad they had to go right to storage and I probably won't see them again for another two months, but they can make their debut on the blog then.

Some of the seeds we purchased were:

Tomato - Juliet hybrid
Tomato - Jelly Bean hybrid
Pumpkin - Big Max
Pumpkin - Jack O'Lantern
Sunflower - Apricot Twist
Sunflower - Mammoth
Sunflower - American Giant
Sunflower - Autumn Beauty, mixed colors
Sunflower - Chianti Hybrid
English Daisy - Double Mixed Colors

Juliet tomatoes are a favorite of ours and although you can usually find them as plants at one of the nurseries, why take the chance that they'll be sold out.

The sunflowers that really interested me are the Apricot Twist and Chianti Hybrid. The colors are so very unusual. Hopefully I will win the battle with the deer this year and actually get to see some blooms.

This is the Chianti Sunflower.



And this is the Apricot Twist Sunflower. We'll see if mine end up looking like that.

And so, the garden still sleeps under a blanket of snow. These pictures are from January but it doesn't look much different right now, maybe just a little less snow.

There's more than frost on these pumpkins!

There is always something magical about the first snowfall. Everything looks so pure, so clean, so white, it's such a drastic change from the reds, then golds, then browns we have been used to as fall progresses. I think the only thing more magical is the first ice storm, transforming the world into a crystallized ice palace so beautiful it's hard to be annoyed at the inconvenience and danger it presents. But we have not been visited by the ice fairy yet, only the snow queen who is covering our garden with the first mantle of winter. This is hardly any amount of snow to be worried about, a dusting I would call it, but the little flakes continue to drift down making it the perfect day to stay inside and drink hot chocolate. Won't you enjoy a cup with me as I share some photos with you.

The poor Flowering Quince has been confused by the recent warmer weather and is now rethinking her decision to bloom.

The Coneflower seed head catches the snowflakes perfectly.

A miniature forest of Rosemary

My late blooming mums, laden down with snow. This made me think of snow covered swans.

While this is my first snow, garden bloggers around the world have already experienced their first taste of winter. To follow the snow trail check out Nancy at Soliloquy's Garden Blogger's First Snowfall feature.