Helen Weis, a landscape designer who is my awesome friend, came over yesterday to bring me more Back to Nature compost. She and I exchange plants and BTN like baseball trading cards. While she was here, she took photos of my garden. Just so you know . . . she uses a Nikon COOLPIX L120 camera. We're both big fans of the Nikkor lenses. I have the Nikon D90. She sent me several photos, and said I could share them with you. It's always interesting to see your garden through another person's eyes. Because she and her daughter didn't stay very long, she only took pics of the front beds and the one next to the garage. She asked me how many bulbs I planted last year, and off the top of my head, I said 600 or so. Later, I looked back at Get Your Bulb on parts I...

The drought has ended in Oklahoma. Praise God. We had five to six inches of rain at our house, and it rained off and on all day. I worked in the rose bed which I'll write about later, but I wanted to show you the Easter eggs which have shown up early throughout the garden. Ignore the weeds please. I still have so many and probably will have some until winter. I do my best, but I'm not perfect, and neither is my garden. It is, however, beautiful. Where are the Easter eggs you ask? Look! They're here, there and everywhere. My tulips and daffodils, planted for Easter have arisen already. Not what I'd planned, but you know what happens when you make plans, don't you? God laughs. I hope everyone is having a beautiful spring, and that cold weather, which is always a threat until mid-April, stays far, far...

Weird and wonderful weather continues. We are getting rain this weekend, and although it may spoil spring break for many kids, I see a trip to the bookstore in our future. Temperatures in the 80s with humidity. What month is this anyway? It feels like June without roses and daylilies. Species and smaller tulips like 'Lady Jane' are melting as my friend Gail from Clay and Limestone says, but I'm still glad we haven't had a freeze. So far. With Oklahoma, you just never know. Don't plant your tomatoes outside yet. Please? It will just make you feel unsuccessful if they freeze, and you'll think you have a brown thumb which you do not. All of us can have green thumbs and even hands. All the bulbs I planted are coming up, and it's fun to greet old favorites and meet new favorites-to-be. Spring always makes me believe there is...

More people don't plant hellebores? I can't imagine a spring without hellebores. They cheer me by blooming early and laughing at rain and snow. Gray skies don't make them gloomy, and sunshine back lights them with an inner glow. Why aren't people racing to buy a plant which blooms from February through the beginning of April and sometimes beyond? Is it because you must stand on your head to take a photo or two? That's still not a good excuse. Now, there are even hellebores for you more finicky photographers and gardeners too. They stand up tall with blooms held high as if to say, "Bring it." So, why don't you? The last two photos are from the Brandywine seed strain which can be bought locally at TLC Nursery. By the way, I never get a single, blessed, free thing from TLC, but they are about the only hellebore show...