I think spring may be here

Montgomery was bloodied but unbowed--we survived the winter with its snowstorms (first photo), and we survived the rain and wind storm (second photo). Suddenly the weather is beautiful, and flowers are now blooming that came out in January or February last year (snowdrops, third photo). Buds are starting to open and frogs are calling from vernal pools.

My husband ordered seeds for his vegetable garden in January with a friend who gardens. Now there are trays of seeds germinating on the coffee table and other trays growing in the basement under a fluorescent light. He has been poring over gardening catalogs for months and calling local nurseries, searching out the best flowers, shrubs and trees and the best sizes and prices for his garden and for community planting projects. I have been researching native plants.

But it's still not too late for you to plan your garden! When you do, please consider native plants. They benefit the ecosystem and are well-suited to the local soil and climate.

If you lost some trees, think about replacing them this spring. Be sure and ask advice about the right type of tree for the spot you have in mind. There is no point fighting Mother Nature by planting a wetland tree in a dry place, or a sun-loving one in a shady area.

Whatever you do, please DO NOT plant any invasive exotic species. These are non-native plants that spread from cultivation and grow in the wild, taking habitat away from native plants and the wide variety of native animals that depend on them. Common examples are Bradford pear, Norway maple, burning bush, barberry and English ivy. Bradford pear trees have weak branching structure and they sustained a lot of damage in the recent windstorm (fourth photo), so you will be doing yourself a favor if you don't plant them.

Montgomery Township is picking up branches curbside on Monday, March 22, and they will chip them up and add them to their wood chip pile. It would be even more sustainable for residents to compost as much as they can, or use it as firewood (fifth photo). I have seen shrink-wrapped firewood for sale that has been shipped over from Europe, and if you use firewood you would do best to buy local. We found a friend who heats with wood and is happy to have pieces of our fallen sugar maple branches.