High Altitude Gardener: April Aspirations, May Maybees

Yes, there is no snow.

However, last 2 days the winds have been blowing big time; even the majestic Ponderosas have been swaying to the windy blasts. The 2 garden flags I just had to hang outside before the winds wandered into the mountains to hang out, yeah, they're both wound around and tangled up in the arched pines. And though the sun's been bright, the wind-chilled temp has discouraged any outdoor activity and practically forced me to sit by the fire, reading...when I wasn't browsing other garden blogs.

Seeds still sprouting indoors; in fact I started several more seed packets today; the infants already germinated are still too baby-soft tender to continue to harden off on the porch in these winds.

I did scurry out briefly to check on the raised bed and found a few new sprouts poking out of the mulch. Soon as the winds die down, got to move the mulch away to give them growing room. So happy to finally see something green outdoors besides just the evergreen trees.

Thought for sure I'd have my second raised bed nailed together by now and ready for May plants...but only thing I raised were my hopes. Maybe by May! Since May's just around the corner and hopefully so is gardening time in the mountains, maybe I'll have things actually growing to blog about in another month! Meanwhile, I'll console myself by sharing a few more of past season projects and whimsy. Photo below (left) shows 1st of many birdhouses placed at various spots around outside of the area that eventually became the Wildflower Patch.

Ski Monster (photo below center) moved onto the grounds in '06 just before Wildflower Patch was developed. In '07

Ski Monster was surrounded by a few Snow in Summer plants...hoping some of those show up again this season. Plan to add many more Snow in Summer plants in May. And one of the newest packets started indoors today is S-in-S seeds.