Finally, after April decided to revisit February, it regained its sanity and opened the doors to Spring.
BW and I took our annual trip to Sunny Meadows to load up the pickup with plants. I find this nursery absolutely magical, so many beauties, so well tended, smiling, happy faces everywhere. And everyone who works there is so helpful.
After that lovely experience, we haul it all home. My first job is to start laying it all out, standing back, considering, adjusting as necessary until I’m pretty happy with the plan.
Now, let’s get dirty! It’s physical work as well as creative, and I really do love every bit of it. Good thing, as this stage took hours—and netted me, without a visit to my gym—23,000 steps. Whew! Now everything in the beds, and the flats waiting to be potted, need a good drink.
And so do I! So I pour the wine, and take a nice, long walk around. Very satisfying.
But we’re far from done.
We’re having family dinner on Saturday for Easter, so on Friday, I make the fan fave deviled eggs, get a workout in, then it’s time to build the pots and planters. I have many. I have many of many. Some for the patios, some for the walls, some to fill in beds until perennials take off, and some for the shady areas.
I love figuring this out. The thrill, fill, spill, what colors and shapes work well for any particular pot. And because I workout—and lift weighs—I can handle hauling pots into place until BW gets home to lend a hand.
This is another full day, with some overtime.
Give everyone a drink!
Saturday, workout, bake a pound cake—my mother’s recipe and another crown pleaser. Since I’ve got some flats left, let’s haul out more pots! Go inside, put the ham in the oven, go back out and plant some more. I’ve just planted the last begonia when Jason and family arrive.
Griffin helps me water pots, then his mom waters him, to his delight. Jason helps BW with some outside springtime work. Kat peels carrots, I prep potatoes. Make the glaze for the ham. And when the rest of the gang arrives, we’re about ready for the feast. That is, after the big Easter egg hunt. I already know where the eggs are as Griffin, who helped hide them, has taken me around to see if I could find, and if not, to tell me.
Later, when it’s dark enough, I walk Griffin out to see all the fun solar lights. My friend JoAnne added to my collection last Christmas with a plant stand that’s a stump-shaped faerie house. Griffin’s fascinated when I tell them all these things light up at night so the faeries can see to play.
I’m up early enough on Sunday to take a walk around, take pictures for the blog. Much cooler as it will be through the week, but still springlike. The air smells of sweet allysum and heliotrope. Ahh.
Before he leaves, Griffin has another piece of cake, and tells me it’s the bestest cake in the world. My mother would be delighted.
So a very happy, very satisfying, very productive extended welcome Spring weekend for me. Now I can look forward to seeing how my gardens grow.
Nora
Sounds like a perfect Easter weekend! 🐣🪺🌷
You are endlessly amazing. So much gardening! So much kitchen activity! I’m looking forward to photos of the progress when everything begins to grow!
These posts lift my heart. You are a true story teller – be it fictional or heartfelt from life.
I’m thankful for both. 💖
It is officially Spring when Nora’s plant blog appears!!
Sounds like the Easter festivities were magical!
So glad that you and your family had a wonderful Easter weekend! Glad you got your beautiful plants in!
What a great garden!
Sounds and looks like you live in a magical fairytale land. You must be the fairy queen. I am the same age as you are and I am amazed at what you can accomplish in a weekend. Bless you and your family.
I love hearing about your garden and all the time, effort and joy you put into creating it. The pictures reflect all of that. The food for your Easter feast sounded delicious. May Spring continue to shower you and yours with happiness.
Love gardening but it is a lot of work – your garden looks great – love this time of year – Thanks for
your lovely blog 💐💐💐
I love all the plants ,pots and your yard is beautiful! Sounds like you and your family had a wonderful Easter. I am waiting for warm weather some can get my flowers. Here in Pennsylvania it is still cool and even a couple snow flurries . Some need to wait till May . Have a wonderful summer and enjoy your beautiful garden ! Thanks for sharing !
A nice few days. Happy easter
Your gardens are beautiful. Sounds like you had a wonderful fun family Easter celebration. Love love your books.
This makes me happy/sad, as we head into autumn and the glory of spring/summer blooms fade here in Melbourne (Oz). And yet your garden is already glorious and will soon be even more so. Enjoy after all the hard work.
Love your garden
I’m envious of your gardens! They are beautiful. And wonderful family time. What more can you ask for!
Another year of garden envy 🙂 I love all the pots and the statuary mixed in the beds. This did motivate me to make a trip to the big box store to get some flowers for my containers.
Everything is gorgeous. I especially loved the pot with all the different types of coleus plants in it. I grew those in Germany along with Geraniums, but killed plants when we returned to the states. Happy Belated Easter.
Everything looks really great! Really beautiful!
Went to Turn The Page Bookstore site to order some merch.
Australia is in the drop down menu but when I put in my address it says ‘not supported’ tried 3 other addresses but the same message for each one.
Is Australia not able to be send to or perhaps a mistake on the website?
I would reach out to the store directly at info@ttpbooks.com. They would have the answers for you. -Laura
I know it’s Spring when your garden starts again! So that means I too must begin mine, sad as I am at the gardening thing. So thanks for the pics of your fairyland, and thanks too for your books. They’re a garden as well – one with beautiful blossoms and blooms, butterflies and the occasional weed that you make sure gets plucked. In this, we readers share your gardening experience, and are all better for it. So keep doing what you do, in your own time. We can wait, because great things come to those who wait, whether it’s a gorgeous landscape or a fascinating read. And thank you.
Love love your garden and all the plants that won’t grow here in AZ Highlands. Next post the color will be like your paintings, vibrant and flowing! Great work and good times all around for renewing.
I love you 💖
Just some info for any of Nora’s fans outside of the USA, Turn the Page website is having difficulties on their end with any addresses selected for orders of merchandise.
It is showing any mailing address entered as ‘not supported’
I sent an email and got the response that it suddenly happened and they have IT on their end trying to fix the problem but they haven’t been able to solve it, as yet.
Hopefully it will be fixed before they sell out of the glasses/tumblers added recently, they look great!
Love your magical garden, I love my faeries too, I also love Dragons, where do you find all your beautiful fairy and Dragon 🐉statues, I also envious, everything is gorgeous, I cannot do gardening at the moment, Total hip replacement, it is so frustrating.
Ah it’s such a passion isn’t it! I’m in the UK and we’ve had some great weather! Getting a bench for free due to a delivery mistake is absolutely making our day! Who knew having many benches in your garden could bring joy!! Thank you for sharing your garden Nora!
Love your books and your garden. I can see how much you love gardening yourself and you add it in your books too. I love reading the descriptions of them.