Winter to Spring
A number of snow showers in the last third of Winter. I shoveled snow on the back patio into the garden below the Magnolia. Piled a couple feet high and didn’t melt. Kept the Snowbells from view at their usual time. This was the second year that my Winter Aconite failed to appear.
Cleaning gutters while standing on the garage roof in late March, I saw 2 bumblebees, presumably Queens, hovering around the roof ridge of the house and wondered if they would find a way into the attic to nest. A Cabbage White butterfly was also flying around and landed on new growth sage prior to blooming. Determined to plant earlier pollinator friendly plants. This could be accomplished by planting in unused washtubs currently used for collecting rain water and placed in the fenced in back patio so they wouldn’t be stolen. Hopefully bloom before the Magnolia in order to receive adequate sunlight. Planted some Hellebores and Bleeding Heart, then later, Globe Thistle and Wood Poppy. My Lungwort started to bloom but was snuffed out by a couple cold nights. Will plant some Snap Dragons next Spring.
In April, saw what I thought was an early Honeybee, but it was a Mason Bee.I had a second Mason Bee House on the back patio, and she worked tirelessly while I cleaned up the early Magnolia Blooms. Should have taken video of her. Guess she might have used the flowers on the tree for nectar and pollen, but also saw her in the Archangel. Bluebells followed shortly in the garden and barrel but too late for her efforts.
I pulled pots out of the garage and over time saw evidence of Milkweed and Joe Pye returning. Cleaned up the Catmint and eventually placed pots out front in the sun with the Magnolia leaves starting to block the sunlight. Time to fill the Hummingbirds feeder, but did not see any early. Time to start working on the front Pollinator gardens, as well.
