Signs of Spring

In the past week or so, I've been seeing my flower beds coming to life!  My tulips are getting bigger and preparing for their appearance pretty soon.  

The crocus flowers that were here when we moved have sprung up again.  Although not as many this year since we redid a lot of the area where they initially were.  However, they are still around the huge tree near the road which is nice.  Day lilies will take over in a month or so which are nice until they die and are just blah.  

Daffodils are appearing everywhere.  They are in our upper yard (where we haven't worked on yet) just sprouting up out of nowhere again which is beautiful.  Last year I took some of the flowers and transplanted them to my lower flower bed in the level part of our yard.  Only one has bloomed so far but there should be more soon.  That part doesn't get as much sun which is what's causing the delay.

This is the lonely one:

They are also on the hillside where were are planning to rip up this year.  We are going to get new steps put in and have all the vines and crap ripped out of the hillside and cover it in Vinca Minor - Periwinkle.  We chose this ground cover because it's evergreen so it'll be nice year round and it's good for slopes.  Plus it has flowers in the spring so our entire hillside will be just a sea of pretty purple flowers.  It'll look like this only larger.  I can't wait to hear back from our landscaper on when he can come, etc.  

Peter and I have lots more to do this year in the yard.  But really we have done so much that there's really not much left to do after this year.  We'll take care of the back hillside and first flat area and I don't think we'll worry about the part very high up, at least not for a while.  Sometimes I wish our yard was all level because it'd be huge!  It's weird all broken up into multi-levels though.  Oh well :P  

Our plans for this year include:

1.  Making a fire pit in the upper part of the yard where it's flat with the big huge stones we took out of the old retaining wall last year

2.  Fixing up the front landscape.  Last year we got the wall put in and did the basics but now it's time to pretty it all up.  :)

3.  Planting a little more grass in the areas that aren't as lush as we'd like

4.  Cutting down a tree near the driveway

5.  Possibly adding more gravel to the driveway to make it nice and filled in and level

6.  Transplanting a few plants in the front

7.  And of course adding annuals to my flower pots, etc.  

I am still amazed at all we did last year with the wall, flower beds, staining the deck, etc etc etc. Last year I planted a lot of perennials so it'll be nice to just see them spring up this year!