The conversation outside my window began long before dawn. I could barely make out any light penetrating beyond the window dressings, but that is beside the point. The birds are chattering on with one another because it isn’t freezing, and it rained yesterday, and they can feel spring in the air. They are delighted with the morning and this happy turn of events.

I, on the other hand, am struggling a bit to find photos of six new things in the garden to share today. I went out in search of photos on Thursday after the frost evaporated and the day warmed up a bit. The best I could muster was a lovely blue Vinca blossom that just opened this week. The flowering shrubs look much the same as they did last week- and perhaps the week before. And the daffodils continue to come along oh-so-slowly. But we are absolutely loving each bright yellow flower as it opens.

The Japanese quince branches that I brought indoors a few weeks ago are blooming in the kitchen and dining room. Their freshness and beauty cheers us through these last few weeks of winter, even as we linger indoors on wet and chilly days- like yesterday.

We made the first *spring* visit to our friends who run the local garden center on Thursday to pick up some finely chipped bark to pot the new Camellia shrubs. I came away with two six-packs of Violas to replace some of those eaten over the winter and a good supply of potting soil. Now, I am determined to move the little Camellias out of their nursery pots and into something more permanent, and get them outside onto the deck, as soon as the weather permits.

The Camellias arrived on Wednesday, in perfect condition. The folks at Camellia Forest Nursery had the three shrubs packed into their box so perfectly that hardly a leaf moved in transit. I believe they were growing in a greenhouse or tunnel at the nursery, and so hesitate to move them outside too soon, with our still frequently freezing overnight temperatures. We are still dropping into the upper 20s some nights, so the new Camellias are waiting in the garage, along with our Begonias, some tender ferns, and most of the Aroids.

I discovered a beautiful book about growing Camellia sinensis, the tea Camellia, written by Christine Parks, co-owner of Camellia Forest Tea Gardens, and her friend and fellow tea-enthusiast, Susan Walcott. “Grow Your Own Tea: The Complete Guide to Cultivating, Harvesting, and Preparing is a must-read for home gardeners and small scale tea farmers alike,” says the promotional information on their website. I was curious enough to download a digital copy to my Kindle.

This is an absolutely fascinating book about how tea culture spread from China to nearby regions of Asia, and then was exported to Britain and Europe, North America, and Africa in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Did you know that at one time, the USDA gave out free C. sinensis seeds and young plant to try to encourage homeowners and small farmers to grow their own tea?

There have been numerous attempts to establish tea gardens and tea plantations in several regions of the United States since the mid-19th Century, but only a few proved successful. The shrubs will grow in many regions of the United States (and the United Kingdom) quite well. The problem seems to come with having the skilled labor and proper equipment to pick and process the tea leaves. Small scale operations using simple and basic equipment seem to be very successful. And this book is a terrific primer for anyone wanting to grow tea, even if they only want a few cups for themselves and their own family during the ‘plucking’ season.

So yes, as you can see, I’m still firmly in ‘armchair’ gardening mode at the end of February. I wrote this week about harvesting and preparing edible ferns after finishing up a few weeks of research about which fern species are and aren’t edible. If I get the new Camellias potted up today I’ll count it a good day. But the birds know that better weather lies ahead, and they are excited about the beginning of a new season. And so am I.

With appreciation to Jim Stephens of Garden Ruminations, who

hosts Six on Saturday each week.