I awoke to a dismally grey fog outside my window combined with the sound of rain drops tapping lightly on the roof. The darker the day, the more my mind seems to wander to visions of transplanting healthy seedlings outdoors. New plants popping out of the soil along with the longer days are always such an exciting part of the year! New England has such a short growing season, so it's almost time to start planting some seeds indoors. Like you, looking through the colorful pages of the seed catalogs helps me look forward to the sunshine that will fill the days to come.

Your seed starting area sounds like any gardeners dream! My baby plants have a humble beginning on just a regular south facing window ledge. I am no expert, but I have been learning little by little as I go. I try to reuse everyday household items for planting like pie tins, egg cartons and because of my deep love for coffee, K-cups. I'm hoping to slowly build a more professional set up that is somewhat budget friendly.

This fall, I made the first step and purchased a hanging, industrial style shop light fixture. My next step was finding a spot for this, which is easier said than done. I've decided the basement would work perfectly. Lots of space makes it ideal, and it will be out of the way. (Warning) This is the sad part where everything came to a screeching halt. Picking which bulbs to use and purchasing them. I became hung up on which bulb would work best for growing plants. T8 or T5 bulb? Regular lights or an actual certified grow light? Instead of finishing my project, the holidays arrived and with that, my light fixture has been just collecting dust.

Not anymore though! What good is it if I'm not using it? No matter what bulbs I purchase, I've decided that they will be better than no bulbs at all! I've also been eyeing a heat mat that's available at my local garden supply store. I'm a little worried about anything overheating since it needs to be left on, so that is always in the back of my mind. As long as it's safe and works, I am going to Macgyver something within the next couple of weeks. I will definitely be keeping you posted!

A cut flower garden seems like a wonderful addition! I've thought about adding edibles into my flower beds as well. I have rabbits and groundhogs that frequent my yard, so I may have to take that into consideration. I might add a few herb plants around my lilies and some other flowers this year. I've been reading how this can deter unwanted pests. Every season, my Lilies start out great, but then they become munched away by rabid lily leaf beetles. Those things are unstoppable! I've tried so many things, even squishing them myself. The things we do for our plants, am I right?

Speaking of new garden ventures, I'm thinking of planting more wildflower seeds for the birds and the butterflies this year. If I have enough room, I'll designate a whole patch of my yard to them. I'm also hoping to add a few different types of wildflowers throughout my butterfly garden. I was gifted the book Taming Wildflowers by Miriam Goldberger during the holidays, and I was thrilled. This book has been at the top of my wish list! I have been thumbing through the pages and getting inspiration daily. I can't wait to dive right into this colorful and wild side of nature. I have also been frequenting her online seed catalog Wildflower Farm, where she offers many different seed mixes and even native grasses. If you regularly daydream about planting your own flower filled meadow (which, lets be honest, is a photographer's heaven), this is definitely the place to look.

I am drawn to the soft pink Penstemon 'Beardtongue' flower. They are related to snapdragons and are a favorite of hummingbirds! I also love the visually stunning Wild Lupine/Sundial Lupine blossoms. I've read that birds like to eat the seeds, and the flowers attract the Frosted Elfin butterfly. The fiery color of the Cardinal Flower would also make a welcome addition to my garden. They bloom for a month or longer and seem to be popular amongst all pollinators. Do you grow varieties of wildflowers in your yard?