Helleborus x nigercors 'Honeyhill Joy' So glad to see you sweet hellebore. Missed your sunny face all winter. H. 'Blue Lady' What about your sisters, they of the drooping heads? Why don't they let us have  a peek? You are always first to the party even ahead of H. nigersmithii 'Ivory Prince.' Hello Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane.' Lovely to gaze upon your elegance if only in spring. Later, you'll be covered with rough leaves, but now, you wear your finest frock. Since those same rough leaves turn a brilliant red/orange in fall we forgive them. Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane' always blooms before 'Arnold's Promise' Hello Hamamelis x intermedia 'Arnold's Promise.' You're just starting to unfurl, but your scent is awesome. The beginnings of bloom . . . Hamamelis x intermedia 'Arnold's Promise' Hello Crocus chrysanthus 'Snow Bunting.' You are as beautiful and welcome as Elizabeth Lawrence described you in A...

Remember all that boring stuff I wrote about the snow and ice only a couple of weeks ago? Although it started out foggy this morning, it's now 78F and beautiful outside. I'd love to tell you I'm planting hellebores or something, but I've got four articles due this week, and two sick children. Chicken soup came first, and then research on vines later. I will try to get in the garden sometime today. I really do have hellebores to plant, several new seed strains including: Winter Jewels™ Painted Lenten Rose, Helleborus x 'Brandywine,' and Winter Jewels Apricot Blush. I bought these at TLC Nursery in Oklahoma City one day when Helen Weis and I were goofing off. Unfortunately, the snow came and put my planting on hold. When I was at the same nursery the other day looking for two Ilex x meservae a/k/a Castle Spire® hollies for the end...

Because I just can't help myself, here is a look back at RDR's late spring and early summer in 2010 going backward in fact. I'm working on an article on annuals, so this morning, I'm perusing my summer photos. This shot looks good because the creamy white blooms of H. arborescens 'Annabelle' echo off the rusted, white arbor. Several years ago, Bill bought two arbors for me on our wedding anniversary. A hint, always ask for garden goodies you wouldn't buy for yourself for holidays. Then, go with your love to pick them out. You'll receive something you've always wanted for the garden while making a lifelong memory in the process. In fall and winter, Annabelle's now brown blooms pick up the color of the leafy path and the rust on the arbor. It's a win-win year round. Color echoes are so important don't you think? When I took this...

February is the cruelest month for Oklahoma gardeners. Some would say August when temperatures often are above 100F, but I don't think so. We still have the beautiful months of September and October to look forward to. In February, we have days on end of gray skies. The Oklahoma winter landscape in its stark raiment of brown and gray is beautiful, but only when topped with blue. Today, my friends, blue skies are smiling at us, and although my weather station says we're in negative numbers -10F--that can't be right can it? I've never seen it that cold. I see that we are supposed to top out at 33F. That means melting snow!!! For those of you who don't live in Oklahoma, we were hit with two major snowstorms in a two week period. Oklahoma City didn't get as much snow this time, but Guthrie received at least six to...