hello spring

I'm linking this post up with Sarah's amazing blog, A Beach Cottage. Go check it out!

I live in the south for a reason.....besides the fact that I was born here. :) I love spring and summer and really dislike cold winters.

It was a pretty cold winter for Alabama standards and I have been aching for spring to arrive. I can't wait to get lots of beautiful flowers planted in my front flower bed and plenty of fresh herbs and veggies growing in the back garden. Lucky for me, springs seems to have started a little earlier this year.

It's still too early to plant everything. It never fails that we'll have one last frost in April despite the 70 degree days we've been enjoying lately. But I could hardly contain my excitement for spring any longer. So this weekend we took at trip to a local nursery to check out the selection.

Aubrey LOVED riding around in the plant cart at the nursery.

I didn't really plan on making many purchases yet, but I guess my excitement for spring got to me. I bought a few perennials for the front bed that will survive a freeze, in case we have one. And some herbs that are freeze hearty or can be planted in pots and transplanted to the ground later.

Here's what I bought in case you are curious:

From left to right. Top row: Mexican Sage, Pin Cushion, Blue Star creeper, Butterfly bush (didn't make it in the picture). 2nd row: Stonecrop, Grace Ward, Rosemary (2). 3rd row: Chocolate minute (not pictured), Pineapple Sage, Chives, Berggarten Sage, Pink Phlox, Thyme. Bottom row: Lavender (2), Lemon Balm

If you've never seen Mexican Sage it is beautiful when it flowers. Gorgeous purple, sort of spikey buds everywhere. You can see the lone flower in this picture.

And I'm super excited about my french lavender. I love the smell of lavender and the leaves on this variety are so pretty and delicate looking.

Have you ever smelled chocolate mint?

If you haven't you're missing out. Here's a close up.... hoping maybe you could get a whiff through this picture. Delicious! I don't know what I will use this for, but it smelled so amazing that I had to buy it.

Anyone else so excited for spring? Are you already making plans for your summer garden and flower beds? What are your favorite things to grow?