All but a few small areas of snow have melted, and with milder temperatures (not quite warm by my wife’s definition) forecast for mid week, the time is right for planting. Ideas have percolated through the winter, and now at least some fraction will be put into the ground.

Good sense dictates that cleaning up the untidiness left over from autumn should come first, but there is little harm in early planting, and transplants are best done in the chill of late winter. Occasionally, I’ve planted in March, or February, to find in mid April a long established hosta or toad lily growing inches away, but this is easily corrected and little reason to delay.

In recent weeks, a small area of sod was stripped in the rear garden, with several shrubs and a small tree (a twelve foot tall Parrotia) transplanted to begin filling the space. The area was poorly drained, so the planting bed was raised a bit and a depression was dug to encourage drainage. Certainly, this will be an improvement, but whether this will remedy the constant dampness, I’ll know in another month.

Two five foot tall Japanese maples have been planted to replace dwarf spruces that were barely hanging on. Both maples are upright growing types that should top out at eight or ten feet, and while I’ve often seen plants rocket past referenced sizes, there is not room for another foot if these should decide to be exceptionally vigorous. My wife questions if any other tree is an appropriate choice in this already congested garden, but of course it is, and again she shakes her head in disbelief.

Two tree peonies are on order, and a handful other plants that I’ve forgotten, but no doubt will be pleasantly surprised by upon arrival. With warmer temperatures imminent, I’m anxious for their delivery, to be planted along with a few daphnes and whatever else catches my eye when I’m in the garden center. I’ve decided to give a few purple leafed loropetalums another try. One planted long ago has survived six or seven degrees below zero, but it’s considerably smaller than when it was planted. Several claim increased cold hardiness, so what the heck.

Where all will go is not completely decided yet, but details are quickly worked out once plants are in hand. There is some space in the new planting area, and a few of the new purchases don’t required much room, so they can be shoehorned in. Somehow, it will work out. With a mild week ahead, and most of the spring clean up accomplished, I look forward to shorts and flip flops, and planting.