Some plants are more cold tolerant than others. I toured around the valley acres to see the plants that were first to spring forward.

Around the Cabin

Last summer I planted many perennial herbs and berries around the cabin. I'm especially happy to see them make a comeback this Spring.

Wild Strawberry

The wild strawberry plants in the strawberry bed were the first to show signs of green - weeks ago. This morning I was pleasantly surprised to already see a little wild strawberry starting to grow. These wild strawberries are the first and last to give fruit for the season - all the way into fall. You can see that - soon to be - flavor packed wild strawberry in the picture below. Wild strawberries don't get very large, but they are very flavorful

Blackberry

You can see in the picture below that the blackberry plant is filling out nicely with leaves. No blackberries yet, I didn't notice them fruiting until the middle of the summer last year.

Orange Mint

Below is a picture of the Orange Mint that is around the outdoor shower pad. Mint loves water, it can't get too much. This mint plant will explode with growth in the next two weeks - it will look like a small shrubbery in no time.

Greek Oregano

Just above the upper boulder retention wall of the cabin terrace is a mature Greek Oregano plant making a grand return from winter. I use oregano for many recipes - a staple for soups, sauces, and pizza.

At the Creek

My Aunt was out for a visit, so we took a trip down to the creek with my Son to see what was new.

Peppermint

Two popular varieties of mint are Peppermint and Spearmint. Peppermint is has a sweeter taste - think candy canes. Spearmint has a stronger minty flavor - think spearmint gum.

As I mentioned, Mint loves water. In the picture below you can see the peppermint that is rooted in the bottom of the creek and already poking above the water.

Watercress

On the other side of the creek, in the picture below - under the creek water you can see the Watercress flourishing. In a few weeks it will make it's way to above the water and along the shore line. Not much flavor, but is very nutritious and is excellent added to salads or sandwiches.

Horsetail

In the picture below you can see an ancient herb named Horsetail. A very old plant variety - closely related to ferns. They grow in marshy areas. For more information: gardeningknowhow.com - Horsetail Herb

Water Strider

Even the water bugs are already striding on top of the creek - the Water Strider is in the picture below. They have tiny hairs on their legs that repel water - so they can walk on the surface tension of the water. For more information: nwf.org - Water Striders

At the Orchard

On the other side of the property is a four year old fruit tree orchard that had been neglected before we moved here. We'll be tending to the small fruit trees this spring and summer - and the drainage and quality of their soil. A unique set of fruit trees. Three rows - a row of four plum trees, a row of four pear trees, and a row of four apple trees. On each fruit tree, each branch is a different variety of that fruit.

Plum Tree Variety Branches and Blossom

In the picture below you can see the variety of Plum branches that have been grafted onto this plum tree.

Below is a picture of a lovely plum blossom.

Pear Variety Branches

In the picture below you can see the varieties of Pear branches that have been grafted onto the pear trees.

Apple Blossom

You can see the fresh dew drop on the Apple Blossom in the picture below.

A very busy time of the year, a lot of new growth. I'm looking forward to enjoying the fruits of the labor :)

Have a great day!