The battle of the seasons

Lately it seems that I have been too busy actually gardening to sit down and blog about it. This past week has found me outside happily digging in the soil on most days. Much has been accomplished but much still needs to be done before spring.

When the purple oxalis (Oxalis triangularis) starts raising its leaves above the soil, I know that winter must be on its way out the door, no matter how much it may kick and scream and try to hold onto the door jamb as it is evicted.

Today, I transplanted 36 plants and signs of spring were everywhere. Every single plant that I dug and moved to its new location had tender new growth sprouting. Even the butterfly weed plants (Asclepias curassavica) had green shoots coming up from the roots, giving me hope that they may again nourish a few more generations of these beautiful monarch caterpillars this spring, summer and fall.




And giving me hope for the speedy return of the caterpillars' majestic and colorful parents.




Meantime, while I wait for the new green growth to attain full size, and for the butterflies to return to my yard, I still have plenty of color here.



Of course, most of my color just now comes with feathers. But it won't be long before that changes. Let Old Man Winter do his worst! Spring is on the move. It can't be stopped. Only delayed.