early spring!

I have lived in the DC area since 1967 and I have never seen a spring arrive this early. Normally March is a difficult month, with all of us sick of winter, desperately waiting for warm weather. We have one warm day, followed by a week of temps in the 40's. Plants respond by teasing us, pushing new growth, but not really committing to actually pushing out leaves. We have to wait until April, and usually mid to late April, for real plant flowering and growth to occur.

this year has been crazy. Spring seems to have occurred all at once. Magnolias have bloomed with or before cherry blossoms. It was so warm that the early magnolias dropped their blooms in less then a week! Leaves are emerging on oaks at the same time as their flowers! Crape myrtle trees, which normally show no sign of growth until late April, have leaf buds on them.

Our last frost date here in DC is historically april 25th. I haven't seen a frost after the 12 of April in years. It's still highly likely that we will have a cold snap, and that some plants might be damaged. Even though it's warm, I am not putting out any annuals until at least mid April.

I am enjoying the warm weather, but, like something that too good to be true, I am holding back celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of spring, until we get well into april. I just wish that the plants could do the same; I fear that a late frost could do damage..

After a long time, were back!
2011 was an amazing year for our company; we had the opportunity to work with a fantastic group of clients and were able to complete several very interesting projects during the year. In the upcoming months, please stay tuned to our blog to see pictures of some of the projects that we just completed, as well as ongoing photo's of projects as we work through them this year.

2011 was also a pretty good year as far as awards and publications for our firm. We were selected to do the grounds at the 2011 Designer ShowHouse, benefiting Children's Hospital. Our work there earned us a 2011 Grand Award from Landscape Contractors Association; you may have seen the garden featured in Home and Design Magazine this month. We had a blast working on the house, and in the process met many great interior designers who had transformed the interior of the house. It was also fun to be on Fox Morning News as part of the coverage for the house.

My garden was also featured in Southern Living as part of a 5 page spread in the November issue. Never thought of myself as a Southerner!

Our firm just won an Award of Excellence from Arlington County for the fine work that Katia, Kameron and I did at a private residence. The picture posted here is from that project.

I'll keep it short here for now; check back now and then to see what we are up to, as well as for plant updates, tips on gardening, trends in Landscape Architecture.