Bench strength

The garden is maturing so a stone bench with a little history is a perfect addition.

We bought it at a sale on Park Point last summer and Brian set it into place a couple of weeks ago. We were told that the feet were salvaged from the Superior High School and the seat was part of a retaining wall near Miller Dwan, circa 1885-1915.

A touch of spring

 Oh yeah -- horse chestnut!

OK, so we may be experiencing the coldest days of this winter -- it's 2 degrees above zero as I write this and it was minus 31 degrees Friday morning in Two Harbors -- but we still received the promise of warmer days in the mail this week. The Forestfarm spring catalog is here.

This is always a big deal. It sets in motion all sorts of dreams and plans. Most of which will get scaled back as the bank account is consulted. But not all.

Forestfarm has a stunning selection of trees and shrubs and perennials, the prices are reasonable, and the quality of plants is good. Minutes after getting his hands on the catalog, the resident chief tree-planter was marking possibilities with a red pen. We'll let everything simmer for a few days and consider other planting needs before making final decisions.

Meanwhile, it will be fun to curl up with the catalog and a cup of tea or a glass of wine and imagine the possibilities. Mind you, this catalog doesn't tempt you with glossy full-color photos. Its only color photos are inside the front and back covers. (But lots more photos online.) It tempts you with sheer volume -- I counted 53 dogwoods!

Want a catalog of your own? Go here. Forestfarm has the silly dog seal of approval.