Spring, and the last of my seed ordering....

There is still a fair amount of snow on the ground around here, but there's no denying it's Spring! For some reason this Winter didn't seem as long or dreary as last Winter, although I do have to be realistic and accept that there could be another snowstorm or two still in store for us here.

This year I am going to be gardening in earnest. I have already ordered and received my Zero Mile Diet kit, and I ordered the last of my seeds today, from an Alberta seed company called Bowseed. They do trials to ensure that the seeds they sell are hardy to this region. I wanted to try their seeds instead of the ones that you can pick up at the hardware or grocery store, because I've been told those seeds are not necessarily the best quality to start with. And, I have a feeling the stores just wheel out the same displays year after year, so you never know how well the seed has been stored, or how fresh or well suited it was to the area in the first place.

This year I've decided that I'm going to plant pretty much only things that are edible or otherwise useful for medicinal purposes or for tea. Whether it's in the garden, or in my 'decorative' baskets and barrels, I'm going to plant veggies or herbs, or pansies, which are edible too! I have even ordered some cantaloupe seeds which will apparently bear fruit in our short growing season (late May to early September). Here is a list of some of the seeds I ordered today:

Pansy - North American Giants
Prairie Fire Brilliant (Scarlet Sage)
Beans - Tendergreen
Beets - Burpee and Atildas
Carrots - Danvers Half Long
Cucumbers - Morden Early
Corn - Amazing Early Alberta
Borage
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Mint
Sage - Broad Leaf
Kale, Siberian
Melon - Cantaloupe Earligold F1 Hybrid
Garlic - Sets
Onion Set - Yellow Dutch Sets
Tomato Arctic Pot n' Patio
Turnips - Canadian Gem
Wildflower Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)

I did order some seeds for some perennial flowers too, some delphiniums (these were in my wedding bouquet) and perennial sweet peas (they smell soooo good!). I'm hoping to plant these here and there, among the trees and bushes that are around the 'yard' area, for a little color and interest. I've been scattering wildflower seeds around the area for the past couple years as well, and just seeing what happens. I'm going for a very low maintenance approach.

I'm hoping to learn more about permaculture and related things when Gord and I attend a workshop in May called, "Creating an Edible Landscape," put on by the local permaculture and urban gardening expert, Ron Berezen. Salisbury Greenhouses is hosting several of these workshops, which are a great deal at only 5 bucks each!

I'm really looking forward to this Spring! I am excited about all the new things to do and learn and grow!