The Problem with Snow

In case you've been living in a hole - Boston (just down the road from me) has had it's third snowiest winter on record this winter. And most of that has been in February. I've got about 4 feet of snow on the ground in my yard right now.

The bit of plant to the right is part of a four foot tall Pieris 

Even our fuzzy dog is tired of it. 

But what problem is this causing to my garden? It's causing a problem that I'll have to deal with in April and/or May.

I'm still getting new catalogs from mail order companies.

I've ordered too many plants.

Because of the snow I'm not getting out of the house as much as normal. So I'm stick inside, bored, and longing for some green. And I've got this great big stack of catalogs on my desk. 

Add to that the fact that my garden looks like this...

and I can't exactly go outside and look at the garden and notice where the empty spaces are or where I could possibly tuck in  a new plant. I think I've ordered about 2 or 3 plants for each space.

Oh, look. I haven't ordered anything from the new High Country Gardens catalog yet...

Never go shopping when...

Last week was Spring Break at the college where I teach.  I had hoped to get out in the garden, do a good spring cleaning, and start preparing the area where I'm going to put the new plants I ordered (that will arrive in April).

So what happened?  Snow and high temperatures in the 30s.  Brrr...  Not exactly my kind of gardening weather.

After a week of gardening frustration I went back to work today.  And found that someone has placed air "fresheners" in the bathrooms that release a burst of perfume (ie air "freshener") when someone walks in.  I find that the best freshener for air is open windows.  Perfumes just make the air smell.  And these air "fresheners" trigger a nice allergic reaction in me.  My nose closes, my eyes itch and I get a pounding headache.  Great.  So I can go further away from my office and use a different bathroom or I can get an allergic reaction.  I posted a polite note asking people to not use this stuff.  If the automatic things don't disappear in a day or so I will make them disappear.  I have no shame.

[What does all this have to do with gardening?  Well, here it comes.]

I stop by the grocery store on my way home and right there, at the front door...  temptation...  teasing promises of spring....  

TULIPS!  [no, the dog didn't come with them]

I couldn't resist.  I love tulips.  Mine have pushed up some leaves but the cold weather caused all that new growth to stop.  I'm anxious that they'll survive this extended cold snap and bloom for me.  I really want warmer weather.  I want spring!

Could.  not.  resist.  tulips.

To make maters worse I walked by the "florist" area and spotted this.

An "orange star."  

I don't have a clue what it really is - I have some internet surfing to do.  I hope it'll last as a houseplant.  I can always use more blooming houseplants.  If not, well, I can enjoy it longer than I will the tulips.

After I finish the work I brought home because I got such a nasty headache from the perfume at work...

If only it was warm enough to open the windows or work in the garden.

Then I really wouldn't get my day's work done.

Oh, and here's a bonus cute picture of The Husband asleep on the couch.  With Cats.