Carrots, peas, arugula, spinach, and kale

Finally, my carrot seeds have popped up cotyledons today (not surprisingly, with our exceptionally warm March weather this last week).  I'd planted them early, being hopeful - and ready to plant.  So I've been waiting.  (And my late test seeds indoors had just germinated, so I knew they were viable!) 

They're the same varieties that I had grown last fall, and was surprised by.

last December's unexpected harvest of Pusa Purple and Pusa Red carrots

Arugula and kale were quick to come up, as was the spinach, sown in flats, satisfying for a "hoping it's spring" gardener, and I do think we're in the home stretch.

I poked around the peas a couple of days ago (thinking, hmm, maybe they froze/rotted/etc.,), but no, thankfully, they're now germinating, too, as the soil in my raised beds has warmed.  February was so darn cold that it slowed things down, but March is flirting with record high temperatures here in Asheville, so spring seems fully sprung.

The early spring wildflowers (bloodroot, spring beauty, hepatica) are all flowering, as are red maples, etc.

This is the third winter that I'll be needing to replace rosemary, as well as not having any "hardy" greens overwintering (I haven't had extra protection), aside from creasy greens, which can freeze solid and still come back.