Two cardinals just landed on the birch tree in my backyard and are feasting on the seeds and bread I put outside every morning. What a joy it is to see them and listen to their lovely voices.
This is the time of year when avid gardeners retrieve the flower and vegetable seeds they've stored since last autumn and plant the tiny kernels in little pots so they'll be ready for the garden when the frost warnings have vanished and the ground is soft and fertile.
At this stage the seeds don't require sun, so they can be placed in a dark corner out of sight. When the sprouts begin to peek out of the soil, they should be moved to a sunny location where they can continue to grow.
This time of year, pots of daffodils are affordable and brighten kitchens and living rooms. Open the windows wide and let Mother Nature clear the stale, musty odours. Don't toss the daffodils out when they stop blooming. Find a sunny location in the garden and plant the bulbs twice as deep as they are tall, which is about five to six inches. Next spring they will reward you with golden blooms.
Soon, gardeners will be on our knees, planting and turning soil. This is the time of year when we need to exercise, especially legs and arms, which will be doing most of the work in the garden. Squats are the best way to strengthen legs and lifting light weights over your head and as far back as you can go will tone arm muscles.
I keep a rough sketch of the garden, indicating each plant's location. I have a notebook, reminding me to move a plant or divide it or take it out and replace it with something hardier. I often give clippings to friends, which reminds me of my childhood.
When I was ten years old we moved from Willowdale to Scarborough and my mother took a clipping of an old peony plant that she loved. She had given a clipping to my aunt, who lived in Willowdale and sent her another clipping when she moved to Toronto. I like to think that the fifty year old plant is still thriving in Southern Ontario gardens.
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