Wild Violet's Garden Blog

Last year Girl #1 and I discovered fairy gardening, which at first, I was quite enthusiastic about.  Then my excitement waned as I realized fairy gardening accessories, although so freaking adorable, are way too expensive, fragile and/or sharp and pointy and therefore not all that friendly for young'uns, really.  Nevertheless, with supervision I figure we can attempt it again this year.  Although I refuse to spend more money on it.  So, what plants to use that I already have that are on a smallish scale appropriate for a fairy forest? Hens n chicks, which overwintered in the pot from last year.  Then I divided my mini hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' to use for 'trees'. The garden is sitting in part sun so thus weird combo should be OK(?).  The Girl is happy, so mission accomplished. 

Good morning! Last week, I brought out all my seedlings from the basement for planting and swore they would never go back inside, regardless of what the forecast said.  This morning it was 34 degrees at 6:30 and I think I can hear my tomato plants crying!  I should have covered them I suppose, but I'm not a coddler. In other news, Old Man Neighbor had a bear clean out his bird feeders two nights ago. He said it has 5" wide paw prints.  So I guess that's not so big (insert nervous laughter here).  He put a trail camera out since then, so we'll see what he sees. Once again I am tempted to rent a bear costume and cause some trouble. Then, Hubby sends me a text that he saw a cougar this morning on the way to work, near 494 and Robert St (Inver Grove Heights area). Um...holy sh#t!

I just uncovered these tiny pansies that had been under upside-down black plastic greenhouse trays and a towel for, oh, about 3 days, ever since this last blizzard began right after I planted them.  The snow is melting and it is about 50 something degrees this afternoon.  I can't believe how happy and green they still look! Hooray!

Seriously, Mother Nature??

Our Girl declared many months ago that her new baby sister should be named 'Woodchuck'. Baby Woodchuck (I guess I'd rather call her Girl #2 here) arrived on 3/31/13, a beautiful Easter blessing.  She is amazing and we are all in love. However, my cousin pointed out to me that woodchucks are the same as groundhogs. So perhaps spring can't arrive until Baby Woodchuck is 6 weeks old?  Dang.

Yesterday,  under the assumption that it was actually finally spring, the Girl and I planted seeds out in the raised garden beds - lettuce, spinach and snap peas. We also transplanted a few of the pansies we started inside from seed into a pot and into one nice little row in the edge of one bed. Now tonight it is supposed to snow again. I guess I jinxed spring. My bad. I already brought the pansy pot back inside and will try to remember to cover the others already in the ground. Although if I forget it would be a nice test of how tough pansies really are...