Easter was on the horizon, 40 people were on their way to our yard for an Easter Egg Hunt and the food was the last thing on my mind; my priorities are straight, and the replanting of my pots was the ONLY thing bothering me.  As I anxiously awaited the arrival of annuals at The Growers Exchange, I decided to use my time wisely and clean out the old debris.  Imagine my surprise, and delight, upon discovering how many of these planters were offering up their finest.  In many cases, an addition of a few flowering annuals was all they needed.

I had forgotten my decision of last spring; all of my pots were planted with a combination of herbs, perennials, ground covers and an assortment of flowering annuals.  After a bit of snipping and deadheading and trimming, these pots were almost ready.  The ajuga, both varieties, were blooming profusely.  They had grown so much; I divided quite a bi and put into my woodland garden. The rosemarys were so big that I transplanted all 8 of them and are a wonderful hedge to my vegetable garden.  The lamium made it through a harsh winter, as did the salvia and achillea.  A bit of my ivy got leggy, so that went into the compost.  But, I am happy to say that the plastic tap adaptor parsley is emerging as well.

Not wanting a complete repeat of last spring, I have been adding a few new items.  I have always wanted to try some bulbs, so I have elephant ears planted in my largest pots.  I don't know what to expect.  I have filled in here and there with a few new annuals and vines and herbs. The combinations of colors and textures is truly delightful.  The best part of this whole unexpected situation is that I have an ever-evolving garden in each pot!

Gloves:  gloves help protect the hands from chapping or getting bruised while working in the garden. Typically, they are made of supplex nylon for toughness, as well as a feeling of softness against the skin. Sometimes gloves are made of Lycra spandex for good fit, stretch ability and comfort. Gloves are even made from fabric that breathes and promises durability. The palm is made of leather.  Such high-tech gloves offer extra knuckle protection and a cloth sweat wipe. They are usually washable, do not shrink or stretch and resist hardening. For more demanding jobs, gloves are made to resist abrasion and are double stitched for protection.

Neem oil can safely be used for pest control, especially aphids and mites. It is a bio-pesticide that can be used to keep many insects out of your garden. Neem oil comes from pressing the neem tree, which is part of the indigenous flora of India and eastern Burma. It has been used effectively for several thousand years as a natural insecticide.  A garlic barrier is an odorless insect repellant that can be used on lawns, flowering plants and vegetables.  And, leaf mulch can be used to enrich the soil. Another soil enricher is earthworm casting. Know as black gold, this mulch it is produced by earthworms.

Pruners keep your garden trim and well groomed.  Make sure they are made of high quality aluminum and built to precision with ultra hardened tool steel blades. Some pruning equipment is made to allow the gardener to trim at ground level while standing. Thorny bushes can be pruned from a safe distance. Some pruners come with a rotating cutting head with a range of 240 degrees.