Spring Fever

Spring fever is in full force around here, the weather has finally been above 0, the 10 feet of snow in our backyard is finally melting, which in turn, led to our first snowman of the year. Once we got down to, oh, about only 5 feet of snow, we were finally able to get out there and build one.

I realized the other day that its almost time to start my plants, or at least the early starters. I have all these aspirations every year, as to what I want to get for plants. This year is no different, except I am such a geek that I am planning the yard out on paper. Yup. Number coded plants and all. I have this little yellow construction sheet of paper with little lines and numbers that in my head, = my yard.

So first question, anyone have luck with strawberries in long containers? I have four long white containers that I want to try veggies or strawberries in. Suggestions? How do you get really large, yummy berries?

And anyone ever try Dahlia's? They aren't for this zone, they are only a few degrees up tho temperature-wise. I thought perhaps I could put them in the front facing west with the incredibly hot sun in the afternoons and they might stay warm enough. Anyone?

My lovely lupines will be in there again as well, they should be fantastic this second year...my grandma's Iris's should bloom this spring as well for the first time, which really, really excites me. Those were transplanted from Manitoba a year ago, but failed to bloom.

Aaand some shade flower suggestions please and thanks...and fairly tall ones....I would do Lily of the Valley but they just get like a weed and I think they might be poisonous. Oh yah, anything for the backyard has to be non-poisonous, which limits things a bit too. Nothing edible looking that can be popped into someone's mouth.

That's about it...I just needed to get my green thumb typing away with impatience...speaking of which, impatiens don't get that tall do they? They might be good for the shade tho....

Off to watch Buffy!