The leave are turning and falling, the cool autumn winds are blowing… and I’ve got spring on my mind. I’m on vacation this week, and possibly today, or at least one day this week, I willt be on my hands and knees in the dirt for the final time this year.

It’s time to plant the spring bulbs!!!!

I’ve made a couple orders from my favourite mail order suppliers, as well as collected bulbs from the stores as we’ve been out and about…

I might have gone a little bit crazy in the tulip department…

Most of them are Triumph tulips (one of the most standard tulip forms) but not all

These two (Spring Green and Modern girl) are Viridiflora tulips.

I also ordered some fancier ones. They aren’t a perennial as the Triumph tulips (you may only get one or two years from the bulbs)..

But they are so pretty they are worth putting in new bulbs every year.

But it’s not just tulips…

I’m adding quite a few new varities of daffodils. Here we have Pipit and Rip Van Winkle

Mount Hood and Arctic Bells

And some fancy coloured tulips!

One area I really neglected last year were the crocuses.

I’m making up for it this year with a 50-bulb mix. Crocus are among the earliest blooms so I want lots and lots of these guys around.

I’ve also ordered a mix of Alliums

To get more colour in the few weeks between the spring bulbs and the summer perennials. I love those big round heads and so do the bees!

Now that the woodland garden has been officially started, we need some colour in there too.

I’m not sure what will take so I got some snowdrops, Spanish bells and some English Bluebells.

And when it comes to fall planting, you know I can’t forget the irises.

This year I’m adding “Presby’s Crown jewel”, “Frimousse” and a mix of pinks. I probably won’t see blooms on them the first spring, but they are always worth the wait!

And last … but certainly not least..

The Raspberry Sundae peony!

It’s going to be one magnificent spring next year!