In Calgary the first signs of spring are not in the garden.
They are pot holes in our roads and water main breaks all over town!

The first sign of spring here (way out of town) is the road gravel thawing into a porridge-like substance. Such fun to drive on! But it's not happening yet. It's -25C/-14F here this morning, and the road is still solid with compacted snow and ice.

Another sign of spring is pots of seedlings in every room of the house - and that has begun!

I get excited when I hear a robin.

Yes! trays of seedlings here too---all over the house, but mainly under lights in the basement.
Some are doing well and others not so much. Every morning there is something new.

I have geraniums coming out of dormancy after a few months in an unheated attached garage.

How cold does your garage get?
I used to save geraniums (pelargoniums) in the garage when it was heated.

CarolineScott said:How cold does your garage get?
I used to save geraniums (pelargoniums) in the garage when it was heated.

It is an attached garage and the house is a raised ranch style so the garage is 1/3 underground so I suspect it stays a bit warmer...still usually hovering around 0. We had an unusually cold winter with several record breaking temps for the time of year and I didn't go out and test the temperature. I have some pictures I will post once...just to keep us going.

We have also had what seems to be an unusual amount of snow this year, but I just heard on the radio that the overall amount isn't that out of the norm, we just haven't had the thaws/melts in between so it has accumulated more than usual.

The carport here is closed in , but without heating it, I can not keep plants there in winter.

The clematis that I thought were dead on my back porch have sprouted! Of course, not the ones I'd hope would survive, but still, nice to see growth! And one of them is now a mystery plant, 'cause I have no label on it.

Cardinals are singing their spring song!

Can't wait to hear a robin

Ha! Don't talk to me about robins! Nasty little attack birdies!

These were some of the geraniums coming out of the garage. The littlest one didn't make it.

Here are some progressive shots of breaking dormancy....

Here they are today....

Oooooh! Green stuff!!!

What a neat series of photos!
Thanks for sharing with us.

They look great Patty!

Thanks everyone,
I also have a couple I overwintered inside the house and one of them has some buds starting. I am really looking forward to seeing flowers too.

:)

Patty

No robin yet, but I had a bee in the back yard yesterday. I felt so bad for it since there is about 2 feet of snow on the flower beds. I don't have any seedlings with flowers either. The kid said I should have put some honey out, but by the time she suggested it, the bee was gone.

That's a good idea about the honey, I must remember that, it will be quite awhile before there is a bloom around here.