You have to see these to believe it...

Hi everyone!
It looks like Calgary is going to get hit with more snow again tomorrow and the cold weather is going to return.  Too bad!  Today we hit a high of 13C and broke a record high from 1934.  It has been so beautiful with the snow melting everywhere, driving through the big puddles and forgetting that it is only January and Winter is not over yet.

So today I took some outdoor Christmas decorations to my shed that is on the East/SouthEast side of our house and I could not believe it...look at this...

My first flowers of 2011 - taken on Jan 27, 2011!



I have Sweet peas starting to sprout

 I couldn't believe it, I have Violas blooming in the hot little corner of my yard...in January...In Calgary!!  And my sweetpeas have started to sprout.  So of course I had to run inside and grab my camera and take a little tour around the yard. Some of my perennials look great and ready to continue growing just like winter has never been here.  But I know better, I just got my utilitiy bill yesterday and I almost chocked!  Natural gas was almost $200!!!  The total bill was $405!  Egads!

So I found a few little jewels in my yard,



I can never remember if this is Oregano or Majoram



Lemon Thyme growing in my barrel, it almost looks alive.

I have Dianthus growing like springtime

I love Polyanthus...one of my favourite springtime flowers.  I think I originally bought my polyantus at Safeway for $1 each...4 years ago.

I love the colour of this Sweet Woodruff

More Dianthus growing on the West side of my house.



This is a pretty little sedum, I should label all my plants next season because I can't remember what colour its flowers are.



Campanula and a mystery creeper

Creeping Phlox

My Vinca collection in my shade garden, I love the beautiful Perriwinkle beautiful flowers and my little Bergenia.

Ajuga or carpet bugle or Bugleweed, great ground cover  for the open shade

Lamium, speads well with lovely varigated leaves.

I can't remember this plant right now but I love my Dragon and he guards my gate to the back yard. 

Shasta Daisy I think... and one of my sedum collection.  Can a garden really have too much sedum?

This bed gets the most sun, but I have had the Dusty Millar come back...sometimes. This Creeping Phlox has white flowers.

So this weekend, the weather forecast is for snow and cold weather.  I am so glad that I went out in the sun today and got these pictures.  By Sunday they will be buried in the snow again.  I just hope that they survive the thaw and freezing this winter.

Oh, and by the way, I sent in my seed order to Richters!  I will have to wait until another payday to order my plants from them.  On my order, I also ordered some dried Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Spearmint, Stevia and a few other herbs for tea.  I have had some interest in my Mint Tea, but I have run out of the herbs from my garden, so I will have to use another source until my crop starts to grow in the spring.  
Ellen's Fragrant Garden LIVES!!