C'mon Spring!

Spring in Western Washington is a very fickle thing. She'll tease you early on with some nice warm days so you can mow your lawn and get some yard work done. A few more nice days and you think "Wow, this is going to be a warm spring!" and you decide to plant some seeds because you just can't wait any longer. Then Spring gives an evil laugh and sends in either snow and freezing temps or a torrential downpour and gale-force winds.

Baker Creek Seeds - (gorgeous photos)

So I must content myself with organizing and re-organizing my seeds (my orders arrived weeks ago) and longingly gazing at their full grown images on the package. Then I work and rework my garden plan. Erasing, moving and replotting where every seed and start will go. I've worn holes in the paper (companion planting revision!).

Territorial Seed Co- Basil

I'm even dreaming of how I can further expand my garden, which I had just ripped out and completely reworked in the fall. The virgin beds are not yet planted (ok, that's a lie. I couldn't help it.) and I'm already trying to dig out more lawn to make room for berries and maybe some espalliered fruit trees.

grow up!

Then I think "don't go out, go up!" and start dreaming up giant towers for my beans and peas, or perhaps stringing wires all the way over to the fence to create a living arbor for the trailing nasturtiums. And let's not forget that cukes and squash can be grown vertically as well. This may or may not be a better use of my time but I sure have fun killing time on a stormy day by browsing books and websites for awesome garden ideas. 

simple garden plan

How about you? Have you been an impatient gardener and planted too early (remember Feb '11 and those 80 degree days?) or are you the opposite and don't think of planting until summer is in full swing?