Try to keep a list of garden jobs on a card to do during March, and hang it where you don’t lose it so you’ll be sure to get the jobs done when time and weather permits in the East.

The bed south of our sun porch is a problem; it is in the heavy shade of a shellbark hickory, also shaded by a huge honeysuckle. It is not only shaded, but it’s dry. I find that even with watering it is rather hard to keep primroses alive in this spot so I am going to use it as a place to try out some of the named varieties of lily turf that I got last fall. I have ‘Majestic,’ ‘Lilac Beauty,’ ‘Monroi White,’ and Silver Ribbon. These are all varieties of liriope. They can take shade, rather dry growing conditions, and also the birds. The planting is just under the hanging bird feeder and the birds, especially sparrows, going after the food they throw out, are rough on tender plants like primroses.