Oklahoma gardening is complicated. The climate is classified as part of the central south, USDA Zones 6a to 8a, but anyone who lives here would tell you there's much more to the story. We are hills and plains, forested and bare. The sun scalds our land in summer, yet we have cold stretches in winter that try our souls.There are times I wish Oklahoma was the true south, all magnolias, camellias and mint juleps sipped upon the front porch. Then, I consider the high cost of all that humidity for my hair and rose foliage. Other times, I wish I lived near my friend, Layanee, so I could walk with her along a wintry path. I'd have snow cover to support rose roots to alleviate the heaving that surely comes every winter during our freeze/thaw cycles, but, then I shiver thinking about how cold it is. Rosa 'White Meidiland,' a...

Really why? Why Grow That When You Can Grow This?: 255 Extraordinary Alternatives to Everyday Problem Plants is Andrew Keys' new book, and when I read the title, I was intrigued. Andrew is a friend, a smart one, and I figured anything he wrote would be good. I'm pleased to say, it's better than good. It's excellent. After interviewing Andrew for this post, I realize how much time and thought he put into his work. In the interest of full disclosure, Timber Press sent me Andrew's book for review. Andrew is a lifelong gardener, and he blogs at Garden Smackdown. He also does a "little" podcast for Fine Gardening magazine called Garden Confidential plus a bunch of other stuff. Instead of boring you with more of my chatter, here's our email discussion of some of the plants Andrew suggests you can grow here, and one I wish didn't. 1. I'm excited about...

Not my kitchen window, but instead, one from a home in Tucson. So peaceful isn't it? That's what I want for you this holiday season. Peace. Hum along with me . . . and, so this is Thanksgiving . . . . My apologies to John Lennon for putting my own words in his famous song, but every year, this is what I think about our most American holiday. While other people's excitement builds, I'm trying to figure out the best way not to get sick. It's not easy to coast through the holidays with food intolerances and allergies. However, I have good news. You have more options than ever to eat this starch and dairy-filled meal and remain healthy. I've written about the challenges before in 2008, 2009, 2011. In 2010, I simply wrote about gratitude which probably shows a change in my feelings about my disease. In 2009, my mom's dressing...

Ajania pacifica (Pacifica Mum), one of the last blooming plants in the garden. I'm working on a talk I'm giving to my local daylily group this weekend. When they asked me earlier this summer, they said I could talk on any subject I wanted--a dangerous proposition for someone so talkative to be sure--but I appreciate their confidence. Talks take a lot of time and thought before coming to fruition. Echinacea purpurea, which now reseeds throughout the garden with Hemerocallis 'Thunder and Lightning' You see, I'm not all about daylilies at my house. I love so many plants, and the sweet genus Hemerocallis only blooms so long. We need other plants to fill our days and garden beds when daylilies don't bloom. You can insert any other group of plants for which you have a passion. I've come to realize, after indulging in way too many love affairs with various genera, it's...