GRACE:

noun...1. seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.

Grace Gardens is...

This blog's purpose is for me to keep a garden journal of sorts. To detail some of the things that I accomplish in the garden and a little of what I do in my home as well. It will also be a place where I will post the photos that I love to take so much. Maybe a place to post my overflowing of pictures that I particularly like or find artistic. Some posts will be wordy...and some may have no conversation at all. Just a post to bring back to mind a lovely day or a meaningful memory. I have disabled the comments on this blog, but feel free to e-mail me for any questions about what you see here. My e-mail address can be found in my profile.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Forcing Springtime...

Out in the garden today, my forsythia shrubs are still just sticks.
 I did see the buds plumping up a bit this morning though.

I know,I know...
my garden is very late compared to many parts of the country.
I live in south central Idaho and I am at 5000 ft.
Our growing season here is only about 4 months for crops
and shorter still for vegetable gardens.
I can't even think about planting annuals or setting out my vegetable starts
 until the first of June.

Ten days ago I cut several branches and brought them in to force.
It only took them about four days to start blooming in this warm house of ours. 

They are so easy to force into an early bloom.
All you have to do is cut them and put them into water and
they are good to go.


I couldn't decide which of the photos I liked the best,
so I posted a ton of them.


The picture above was in the living room before I decorated for Easter
and the few below were after.




 You can see that in the couple of days between the pictures,
that the leaves have already started to come out as well.














I placed some of the branches in the bathroom as well.








  




Also in the reading room
 (as we call it) should be called the napping room though)) 


 before the leaves


after the leaves
I love the green of the leaves with the yellow best!




I also brought in the grape hyacinths to force.
They are only up a little in the garden right now.
These bulbs I dug out of the snow several weeks ago.


I love them and their scent.





Joining up today with Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora Thursdays.
There are some wonderful blogs linked up showing their gardens and blooms off today.

I am off to take a look myself.