been super cold here and today's high was 31; up from a couple days ago; sigh; my plants look horrible; the icy rain or freezing rain finally got most of the last hangers on; not sure when will get warmer; was supposed to today but 31 is not very much warmer in my book;

My neighbor had never planted plants before; got inspired by me & planted her first ever veggies; and plants: she is 61 years young & looking forward busily planning what to plant next spring already! she was delighted with using her own herbs in cooking;

Anyone have plans for their garden yet? What are you looking most forward to? I have some lilies and daffodils and tulips not in the ground yet; hope it thaws enough & is warm enough I can get them in with a week or so; I have planted daffodills and tulips in January here & had them bloom the same year; I am looking most forward to planting some pretty milkweed seeds in the hopes of having the adult butterflys I planted for leave their young here; don't mind the caterpillars munching on my plants! the monarchs are well worth it!

Not many posts in this forum this time of year, yours was refreshing to read.  I usually start planning sometime in March as our New England springs are later than most other places.  I have a couple of hundred bulbs that come up yearly (mostly different types of daffodils planted over the years).  They need very little care and provide tons of bouquets- they also bloom regardless of the cold or snow that might linger.  I have perennial sage,  oregano, lavender, rosemary, chives, tarragon, and mint (which I keep corraled in a pot as it would take over everything if I let it). Then I plant basil, parsley, dill, cumin, and lots of arugula from seed in early spring. (here I start them indoors).  Small pots are enough, keep cutting and using them in your cooking and they just keep growing all season.  Most of my gardens are now hardy perenial flowers for cutting - if they do well, great...if they don't then out they go.  They need to be hardy specimens to survive our cold winters and north atlantic winds.  I just don't have the time or energy to coddle them.  The past  few years I've switched attention to growing vegetables in large pots (with great success).   I've done different types of tomatoes, eggplants, summer squash, cucumbers, pole beans, early peas, and some varied "hot" pepper plants.  Because of our shorter growing season I buy the starter packs and transplant them.  I may only use 3 or 4 plants of each and then gift  the rest to family/neighbors.  Your idea for milkweed sounds good.  I have a couple of buddleia (butterfly bush) that draw many different types of butterflies throughout the summer.  I love to watch the hummingbirds come by every summer evening just before dusk, too.  Seems like so far in the future.... especially as I look at the prediction for  temps in the 20's for tomorrow.  Happy gardening!

Trish

I have hummingbirds (just a couple) who hang around all year round; they come to my feeders just outside my windows; start about 7:30AM; later we will have about 14 or more; also feed finches, & other birds all year round. They are so much fun to watch!

Roddie's are budding already! Both my nieghbors & those seen as driving; YES! Soon & very soon, we will be having spring flowers!

My neighbor plants tomato plants in the "totes" from rubbermaid: and wow! do his ever get large! I got some "fruit bins" from an orchard here for $1 & painted them green: got organic dirt from my aunt's compost bin she's had for 20 years or longer; my mints I keep in pots as well: I call it my "mint" plot of pots! have quite a few different ones. Really enjoy them; I usually start my tomatoes etc inside: then let out during day & bring back inside; start in April: then add to them as we love salsa; & just eating them!

I always get the walla walla onion seedlings & plant them, and eat as green onions; best in the world!

We expanded our veggie garden last year so I have alot of planning to do.  We had lots of success with green beans, lettuce, carrots, zucchini, and cucumbers.  Not so good with spinach, broccoli or tomatoes.  Our tomatoes were good for awhile then that awful tomato blight hit and we were wiped out. 

This year we will repeat what did well for us but I would like to try my hand at celery and some herbs.  I don't know which herbs yet but my catalogs are starting to come now so I will look over them this weekend.  Our garden is in a big raised bed and it does pretty well.  We also compost our food scraps and add that to the garden when it is fully decayed.