Ready to sow some seeds? It’s almost time. I usually plant my cold crops the last week of February. In the meantime, head on over to Blotanical and check out some of the best garden blogging around. Created by Stuart Robinson, Blotanical is the place to find garden blogs all over the world. Among the best things about the site are the eight maps which show with a stickpin flower exactly where the bloggers strut their stuff. If you’re starved for current photos, go to Indonesia, or South Africa, or check out Stuart’s own blog, Garden Tips ‘n’ Ideas, in Australia. I kid you not. You can see what others plant in their climates. It’s educational. It’s fun.
When I first started blogging, I looked to Blotanical’s previous incarnation to find other bloggers in Oklahoma. I found three. Only three, but after contacting them, we all became friends who read each other’s stuff, offer garden advice, and help each other navigate the blogosphere. I also found my favorite Austin gardeners through Blotanical, and boy, am I glad I did. If you haven’t already heard, the Austin bloggers are holding a little Spring Fling in April, and I get to go. So, if you’re looking for fabulous photos and some of the best writing on the web, check out Blotanical.
And, if you’ve got fingers just itching to plant, I want to turn you onto another cool thing. At You Grow Girl, you can download the neatest seed starting chart based upon your average last frost date which for Oklahoma City is April 15th. Now, you’ve got two ways to spend the next couple of icy days holed up indoors. Pleasant dreams.
I love that seed starting chart from YGG…in fact, I have a copy of it printed out and sitting next to my computer right now! I spent yesterday planning out my community plot, so today I think I’ll plan out the back yard plot. I do this as my home office window is covered in a sheet of ice. Sigh.
Amy, I hope you get to put your hands in the dirt soon.~~Dee
Can’t wait to meet you at Spring Fling!
Me too, Bonnie. I feel like I already know you all through your blogs.~~Dee
Hi Dee,
When we lived in IL we sometimes drove south in early spring, watching the terrain change as the temperature rose. I seem to remember spring arriving about 3 weeks earlier in St Louis compared to Northern Illinois.
We’re probably a few weeks ahead of you here in Austin but the color seems to be in small vignettes rather than the broad sweeps of wildflowers that people look for in an Austin spring. I hope we’ll have lots of color for you when you arrive for Spring Fling!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Annie, when I read your comment, I thought about how we drive north in the fall to see the color change and to feel the cool air. I can’t wait to see an Austin spring. I bet it will be beautiful.~~Dee
Hi Dee, thanks for popping in, yes, Pride and Prejudice would be another favourite to watch.
hope you have a lovely, gardening-filled weekend,
Lucy x
Oh, Lucy, don’t I wish? It’s about 38 degrees here, and the rain has sprinkled off and on all day today. No, instead of fighting the cold, I went to a movie with my kids. Spiderwick. It has some flower faeries in it. That’s about as close to plants as I got today.~~Dee
Dee – Thanks for stopping by, earlier, and for the kind comments. I just got caught up on your last few entries. New York was fascinating. And all those glorious photos have me thinking spring, especially that over-anxious rose…… Deb
You’re welcome Deb. I love your writing and your blog. Thanks for your kind words and come back soon.~~Dee
Hi Dee, Our official start date is April 15 too. It seems to take forever to get here. But once it does, there are too many things to and not enough time.
Exactly.~~Dee
Hi Dee, you caught my eye with “starved for color”. I am truly that. I think I have worn my red turtle neck to death this past week. ha…
Beautiful pictures.
Lisa, me too. That’s what I love about blogging. Unlike print journalism, which don’t get me wrong, helps pay for my blogging, blogs are immediate.~~Dee
Hi Dee, thanks for stopping by my site..
I totally agree with your comments on blotanical it truely is a great resource. I so need more hours in the day to check out the blogs on there 🙂
You’re welcome, and thanks to you too. I just wish I had more time too.~~Dee
What a great post! I am so ready for some color, and thanks so much for the links, too!
xo Lidy
Lidy, you are so welcome. I loved the seed starter chart and thought it needed to be shared.~~Dee
I want to go to Austin, but my MG group has their spring seminar the same day in Kaufman. Thanks for turning me on to Blotanical it has been a lot of fun and the people are nice.
Deb, I’m so glad you joined. I wish you could come to Austin. I can’t remember exactly where you live in OK, but maybe we could have flown together. Have fun with your MG group and post pics.~~Dee
Your site is really nice. Very impressive. Somehow different from the other sites I’ve visited. And I visit ALOT of sites!
Really like that you’re an Oklahoman. Nice to find one out there! Keep up the good work. Not that anyone can stop a writer! A writer must write. It’s like eating, isn’t it? Except no calories!
Brenda
Brenda, I don’t know. Sometimes, I nosh while I write, and then I gain weight. LOL. Thank you for all of your kind words. Yes, you can’t keep writers from not writing. It’s true. We’re kind of like the venerable postman. We must make our appointed rounds.~~Dee
Dee – Hi!
Lucky you going to Austin in April. What a great opportunity.
Keep us updated on the cold crops you are planting and what techniques work best for you. It’s always a challenge to grow hearty transplants from seed.
Great blog entry on the New York trip.
Martha in Muskogee OK
Hey Martha, I promise to keep everyone updated. In fact, tonight I’m going to buy some seed and some seed potatoes. I don’t want to grow the same old things. Thanks for keeping us informed about state stuff on your blog too.~~Dee
Thanks for the color, and for the nifty new links. I’m always delighted when I find other like-minded garden bloggers.
WS, you’re quite welcome. Thanks for coming by.~~Dee
Oh, so that’s what Blotanical is all about. I’ve seen traffic coming from there in my logs but never really figured out what it was all about. Thanks.
Anthony, you’re so welcome. I think Blotanical is a great resource.~~Dee
I came across your blog through Blotanical – it is a wonderful resource for getting to know new bloggers. It’s great that you are going to the Spring Fling. I am hoping that we’ll get some great blog reports.
I downloaded the seed-starting chart from You Grow Girl – I have a longgg time to wait before I get seed starting here.
Your NYC post was a good one!
Hey Everyone, it’s Kate’s blogging anniversary. Her blog is one year old today. Congrats, Kate!~~Dee
What a lovely post, Dee. I’m glad to see so many people are enjoying Blotanical as much as I am! Stuart’s one of my hort heroes for creating it, but so is each blogger who participates; I’ve met so many new ‘friends’ across the world…including you!
Thanks, Jodi. I love your blog. Yes, it was very kind of Stuart to create it for all of us. It is a wonderful resource for info. and friends like you.~~Dee
We are certainly ready for some color, but it will be coming soon here in TN, our first daffodil opened yesterday. I think our climates are similar, your summers may be hotter, maybe due to the mountains here cooling us some. Our last frost date is also April 15.
Frances at Faire Garden
Frances, how interesting that we have the same frost date. Yes, I think you have cooler summers. My daff foliage is up, but no blossoms which is a good thing as we have a little ice today.~~Dee
Your blog is beautiful!
Oh, thank you, Marie. Yours is also. Please come by again real soon.~~Dee
Cheers for the write-up of Blotanical, Dee. It sounds like you getting a lot out of it and what a great story of how you used the maps to link up with other Oklahoma bloggers. Good for you.
Stuart, thank you for creating this resource for all of us.~~Dee
Thanks for the mention of the Spring Fling and the Austin garden bloggers. I am so glad that you are coming to the Fling and we’ll be meeting you in person very soon.
Anytime, Pam. I like reading your blogs because our climates are similar, although your spring starts soon, and your winter starts much later. Plus, yours has heavenly photos.~~Dee
I enjoyed reading that nice comment about Blotanical.com. It has given me so many hours of joy. You are part of that. Then I go to someone’s site and start reading who they have on their blogroll—it is hours and hours of wonderful reading. I use to go to chat rooms but they can be offensive and you cant’ go off topic. Well, I’m an off topic gal. So this gives me the opportunity to be who I want to be and follow my buds around the garden. You have so beautifully written what fun it is to belong to this group. Thank you.
Anna, I feel the same way. I love finding new writing; writing that is really good. I’m glad we now have a medium to express ourselves. I’ve learned so much from my blogging friends, including you.~~Dee
Hello
Thank you so much for visiting my blog the other day (via Cottage Magpie’s Pink Post Challenge). It was really a very sweet comment that you left. :o) I love your blog and all of the nice “green” things on it!! I live in Canada and am just counting the days till spring!!!
Jill, me too. It will be here sooner than we think. Thanks for the kind words about my blog. Yours is lovely.~~Dee