Springing forward into 2012 garden: "before" picture + simple quiz

First: garden art.

The ever gorgeous purple broccoli

that has yet to actually produce broccoli.

Garden overview shot.

bb garden March 2012 with VERY happy chickens engaged in garden predator control

Last year it was more completely covered in grasses since it actually RAINED....

And this year I also figured out if I leave much of the residual stuff,

the old corn, the old beans, chrysanthemums, etc.,

it will help keep the soil in place over the winter.

Discovered yesterday while trimming a (pollinator attracting) shrub:

Do you know what that is?

Please submit your guesses in the comments.

And the first sketches of plans for this year,

on a very suitable substrate =)

with some self-seeding cilantro decorating it all.

k. gotta go--on the clock today. =)

Happy Spring Forward!

bb