The last half of this week has been glorious, for instance today it has been 75 degrees and there is a warm wind. I'm not supposed to enjoy it - we've had hardly any rain, and this means the meager snowpack in the Sierra is melting early - but it's hard to feel glum about that when spring is bursting out all around you.
I made February's wreath with Acacia dealbata, or Silver Wattle, native to Australia, naturalized here. It's really beautiful but it's terribly weedy, and takes over the Oakland/Berkeley hills around this time of year. I don't find it growing out my way very much, but there is one enormous specimen on a trail near here, so that's where I went to take cuttings. The tree can easily support that; I in no way injured it or even slowed it down. Some people think this tree is a scourge and it's hard to disagree because it causes awful allergies, being loaded with pollen. And did I mention the weediness?
Anyway, I have to say it makes a lovely, cheerful wreath.
rhubarb seedlings in the 'greenhouse'
This weekend, I intend to take out one bed of wheat, clover, and peas and put in my potato crop, as well as start sunflower seeds in the greenhouse. It's hard not to do more. I'll probably start my pepper seeds later on in February, since they require some extra germination time. But no tomatoes until March.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying all the spring bulbs coming up, as the narcissus are starting to enter senescence.
Borage is nearly a year-round plant for us here, but it takes a break in December and January, reseeds itself, and comes out gangbusters again starting this month. The bees are clearly in the spring swing of things and soon we'll need to do a hive check.
I'm growing watercress in a 10-gallon container, and it's really starting to look delicious. I'm anticipating some lovely greens in sandwiches soon.
I bought four hellebores in December and I have them in pots on my front porch. Hellebores are not cheap, so this was a real investment, and they are starting to bloom which is fabulous. I have several different colors and I'm sure I'll be sharing more pictures as they open. I can't wait.