The seeds I ordered have begun to arrive, with more of those wonderful names, some descriptive and some aspirational. Pumpkins are Baby Boo and Jack Be Little; cosmos are Snowpuff, Double Click, Apricotta, Cupcakes, Rosetta, Psyche White, Rose Bourbon, Versailles, and Sensation; zinnias are White Wedding, Forecast, State Fair, Zinderella, Peppermint Stick, Art Deco, Benary’s Giant, and Cut-and-Come-Again. I think I got too many flower seeds.

And that’s not counting the other flowers, the tomatoes, and a few veggies. How can I resist those names, those pictures, those catalog descriptions. Do other gardeners have this problem? Some seeds will go directly into the dirt outdoors; some need to be started inside. I used to cut down milk cartons for seed-starting pots, but now I get milk in glass bottles so I use an assortment: re-used plastic nursery pots, random containers found floating around the garage, and these spiffy pop-out-cell trays from Burpee. I use an assortment of potting soils, too, though only this brand was available to pose for its picture. At the moment I’m not convinced any one of them has an advantage for starting seeds.

My winter flowers are currently prospering in one of my nice big south facing windows. Last time I took their photo there was snow on the other side of the glass, as there should be in February. Peeking past the amaryllis, you can see the snow is gone. This too-warm-for-February weather worries me – if the fruit trees bloom and then the freeze comes back it will knock all the blossoms down, and there goes the cherry crop.

I’m not worried for the daffodils, though. They can take it. They’re making their way pretty much on schedule, green noses plumping up now with furled flowers. By the time my indoor flowers fade, the daffs should be coming into glory. My flower succession in summer plants is not as well regulated yet, but I’m working on it.