Spring is definitely, well, springing *cough*, and whether or not my darling neighbor and great friend Lisa knows it, she and I are competing.   Thanks to the virtues of online instant media...when I hit the "publish" button...I guess she'll know! 

What are we competing over?  Who's the prettiest?  (She is)  Who is the better cook? (That's a toss up).  Who can lift more weights? (That's me..I think)  No, none of those...we're competing to see who has the prettiest Spring flowers.

We've never discussed it actually, but Lisa has these amazingly large clumps of tulips in her front garden that just open up and show off as soon as Spring starts peeking around the corner.  I'm absolutely green with envy because I think they were there before she even moved in, bless her heart (and I don't mean "bless her heart" in the condescending southern way-Ha!)  But Lisa isn't a gardener!  I know she could be a good one, it's just not at the top of her list.  However, look at this:

Just one clump of Lisa's tulips as of today, 2/7/08.  Looks like they'll bloom any second now!
** Update 3/7/08:  Those are Daffodils.  Duh!

It's just not fair.  I labored for two days planting hundreds (I think about 500) bulbs between last year and the year before.  Don't get me wrong, I'll have some lovely blooms this year, but I didn't think to clump them all together like this! 

**Note to self**  Self, plant bulbs in clumps to get a brilliant effect all in one spot!

I do have some little guys peeking up though:

Unfortunately, I couldn't tell you what these beautiful buds are.  Why you ask?  Because I forgot to LABEL my bulbs.  I haven't the foggiest idea what's what.

**Note to self** Self, LABEL the friggin bulbs when they go in with a little tab stuck in the ground, or draw a plan-o-gram. (side note:  I found a tip in The Frugal Gardener: How to Have More Garden for Less Money...use cut up old blinds as plant markers.


Well, since Lisa doesn't even know we're competing, and I'm the one writing the article, I guess we'll just say- Whoever blooms first wins!  So, I win!


Isn't he a cute little guy?  That's my first blooming Miniature Iris.  I know because Mom told me.