January time to dream of spring with Gardening Catalogs!

As much as I love to cook I love to garden, maybe even more if that is possible. I am so passionate about my gardens which sooth my soul each and every time I venture in the garden. Even if I say I am just going to spend a few minutes pulling some weeds before I know I have been working at my garden for hours. No matter how long I stay in the garden, I don't want to leave, I have to force myself to stop and go inside. I love nothing more than getting up early on a spring morning, grabbing a cup of coffee, heading out to spend the cool early morning spring laboring in my garden. Laboring yes, but a labor of love!

Every January I long for spring and my garden. As I put away my Christmas decorations my mind shifts to garden plans including new plant acquisitions to enhance my already large perennial beds. I curl up at night with a cup of tea searching through all my favorite gardening sites and catalogs dreaming of spring while visualizing all these beautiful plants gracing my garden. On cold and long New England winter nights my garden blooms in my mind with my most beautiful ideas being conceived with the wind blowing and the snow blanking my grounds. I can hardly contain my excitement as our long winter show signs of turning to spring, brimming with all my new exciting plans for my garden. I go through this ritual every year filling my soul with visions of things to come in the spring. It never fails to transport me away from winter towards a new spring, a new beginning.

My favorite catalog to start dreaming of spring, spending hours pouring over the beautiful pictures is White Flower Farms. I actually visited the garden center's retail operation which is a treat if you can go to their  Litchfield CT location. I have order many plants from White Flower Farms never being disappointed with the plants. Their garden stock is of outstanding quality. If you have any questions about planting your purchases customer service is exceptional. Another grower that I go back to every year for quality, price and service is Dutch Gardens from Holland. If you are looking for large quantities of bulbs to mass this is the grower to purchase high quality bulbs at fantastic prices. Again I never been disappointed with their plants and bulbs. If you love old fashion roses and English roses  as I do I highly recommend David Austin roses. You can order directly from the grower with the roses being shipped bare rooted. If you follow the easy instruction on how to plant bare rooted roses your garden will be filled with beautiful blooming roses that first summer. Why I only plant these low maintenance roses is that I don't have the time for the fussier diva roses that require more care and maintenance. Maybe one day but for now I love these stress free, easy care roses that if you pick the right variety bloom all summer long.

During the winter dreaming about new plant designs for my garden fill me with such joy, almost as much as being out in my garden bring all my plans to fruition. Even if you only have a small area gardening brings such beauty and contentment into your life, working outside surrounded by nature, getting all dirty, for me it is just heaven!