Sweet Thing

We shall walk and talk
In gardens all misty and wet with rain
And I will never, never, never
Grow so old again.

Sweet Thing, Van Morrison

I was going to save this song for the first really beautiful spring day of the year; as it turns out that day is today, February 18!  75 degrees!  Who knew?   

There is nothing that makes me feel younger than driving home with my window rolled down, working in the garden while the sun warms me, and finding the first flower on my forsythia.

I found the forsythia flower while we were working on the dry stream bed this afternoon.  I have no idea why it is here already, nor do I know why there is only one flower on the entire bush -- the rest is covered in buds.  At any rate, it is there, and it distracted me from time to time while we covered the planting area of the dry stream bed garden with landscaping fabric.   I placed a few of the rocks that we've been collecting, but it'll probably take me a while to get them all exactly like I want them.  I foresee many rearrangements, which is fine.  There are still many, many days ahead before anything can be planted, and it will be fun to see it all take shape.

The front portion of this area is where the dry stream bed will begin.  The rear is the garden..

Within the dry stream, I am planning on creating small pockets to plant juncus hedgehog and lavender.  The lavender seedlings are growing nicely, but I haven't even started juncus hedgehog yet.  I may also plant catmint as well. I'm not even sure if the pockets will be suitable for my plants, but really there is only one way to find out -- do it.

Plants for the dry stream garden:  agastache, lavender, blue fescu, blue love grass, Irish moss, and delphinium

It may not be officially spring and planting may still be months away, but my spirit feels ten years younger after this sweet, sweet day.