A rainy day in the garden can be a miserable experience but it doesn’t have to be. There is no point sloshing around in the mud in some old shabby footgear if you don’t have to. With a pair of colorful boots adorned with flowers you can look forward to a rainy day and greet it with enthusiasm. All those dreary garden chores that look even worse under cloudy skies take on a new dimension when you have your feet warm and dry in a pair of pretty boots. You don’t garden in the rain? No problem, wear them as a fashion statement when you walk your dog or go to the mail box. [click to read full post]
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Weigelas have an old-fashioned charm but this one is special and offers even more. It is only 12” high and compact, forming a neat mound. Its leaves are variegated with cream white edges that turn pink in the sun, but it still produces the pretty pink flowers that weigelas are known for. Use it to line a border or path, or put it in a container where you can enjoy the hummingbirds that come to dine on its nectar. It is hardier than other weigelas and goes dormant earlier but it comes back each year with little care. 
For a flower with an unusual shape, try bottle gentian. The common name gives you an idea of what to expect. Yes, the flowers look like little bottles or large buds about to open. They are borne in clusters at the top of the stem above a whorl of leaves but sometimes arise in the 
Have you ever noticed that if a product is marked “organic” the price is higher than similar ones? Apparently a lot of people are very attracted to products, especially food, that are associated with organic production. Is this good or bad? Reading Jeff Gillman’s book on the organic gardening debunks some popular myths and clears up some common misunderstanding. In a conversational but informative style, Gillman pushes the gardener to think and evaluate the facts about organic and non-organic practices when making important choices for the garden. 
A North American native of moist meadows, streams banks, and open woods, Canadian anemone is a vigorous grower in its natural environment but is better behaved in drier sites. The 1-2” wide white flowers make a cheerful showing in spring but the dark green fine textured foliage is attractive all season long. The plant naturalizes easily and is especially attractive when allowed to form a large colony in wildflower or native plant gardens. 
The variegated foliage of Ajuga reptans seems to show endless variations and ‘Toffee Chip’ is another excellent one. The leaves have gold to cream margins and centers of brown and kaki as they emerge in spring. As the season progresses the centers change to sage green while the margins maintain there complementary color. Dark blue flowers appear in late spring to early summer. Like other varieties of A. reptans, plants spread by 
One of the most frequently asked gardening questions is “What is the best way to prepare for and then plant a tree or shrub”? Unfortunately planting a tree or shrub isn’t as simple as just digging a hole and putting the tree in it.
Easter traditions commonly include eggs, rabbits, Easter lilies, palms, jelly beans and other candy. For some people, however, pussy willows can be added to the list. Pussy willows are one of the harbinger’s of spring and so often bloom about the time of Easter. It is little wonder that some cultures have incorporated them into their rituals of Spring. 
