Sunlight greeted the garden this March morning, pulling an Iberis inflorescence out of shadow as February slipped into history.
Iberis Sempervirens (Candytuft)
A blue-violet Hyacinth opened this week, one of only two remaining from an impulse planting a decade ago.
Almanac and Mulch
Clouds are moving in this afternoon and temperatures will remain cooler than normal, but at least rain is out of the picture for a few days. When I began a project at the beginning of last month to mulch the garden, little did I know we would have rain for 14 of February’s 28 days. And it was cold. What I estimated would take a week is dragging on, although progress is visible and the effort actually has been enjoyable. The driveway had been hidden by 14 cubic yards of double-shredded hardwood mulch, but at this point the remaining pile seems almost a minor detail. There is still a lot of weeding and trimming to do in the back.
Looking Around
The mulching project has afforded me a chance to notice the garden’s earliest plants waking up.
Powerful Wings
A Bald Eagle flew over the garden today. What an enormous bird and, in the true sense of the word, awesome. The Jordan Lake EagleCam is currently monitoring a nest with one chick at nearby Jordan Lake.
pbmGarden 
Isn’t it good to see the garden finally reawakening! 😀
Ahhh, yes! It helps fortify us to get through these last few weeks of winter. Yours will be coming along soon too.
I think the hyacinth you planted so long ago is the same colour as those I planted last autumn. Mine are just poking their noses out of the soil. Many of the other plants we also share. Christina
I love that we share so many plants, though our gardens are so distant. You’re such a gardening soulmate Christina! Hope your hyacinths do well.
Oh an eagle…I am waiting for the eagles, turkey vultures and many others to return to the skies over the lake….your garden is waking up beautifully.
Thanks. Seeing the eagle was a treat for me. Hope you won’t have to wait too much longer Donna. Last week I saw one of those somewhat creepy trees like in the cartoons, filled with the shape of dozens of vultures sitting among the branches. Comical and startling.
When we lived in Chapel Hill we used to go birding at Jordan Lake and saw Bald Eagles often! It was possible to see 2 of the nests from the trail/ road and dozens would roost at night in the nesting area. DH saw a Bald Eagle fly over our farm once too. Will have to check out the nest cam.
We have had a lot of rain and gray days recently. Good for the aquifers but personally I’m ready for some sun and drying out.
It would be fun to see the eagle nests. Thanks for the tip. We had enough rain last month to pull the area out of drought! But I was surprised we had even been in drought because it seems like it’s been rainy for a long time.
Its wonderful when the garden starts waking up, lots of pretty spring flowers and new growth and your new mulch sets them off beautifully. How amazing to have a bald eagle fly over your garden, they are so huge! the biggest birds we have here are buzzards and they are only half the size of your eagle.
The bald eagles are no longer endangered but it is rare for me to see one near my house–only the second time. Last year spring came very early but we’re still having cold weather here so some things are holding back, biding their time. Have a good day Pauline.
Oh, I’m so jealous that you have flowers already. We’re still several weeks away from even the earliest ones. I peeked at my hellebores the other day and the buds are just starting to show. We need some warm days to really get things moving. Enjoy your flowers…and your mulching!
The flowers have added some color and cheer around here. Hope you get some warm days soon to spur your plants.