Echinacea 'Pink Double Delight' Good morning. Grab your coffee or tea and and please join me for a stroll through my little corner of paradise. I've always pictured heaven as a garden, and I hope that the good Lord will let me work in His; but then, I wonder . . . what would I do if every leaf and flower were perfect? What if there were no weeds? What if the roses were always in bloom and never needed deadheading? How could I relax in such a place? These are the kind of things I ponder about as I stroll. Then, I shrug my shoulders, sip my tea and leave it up to God. It's out of my hands anyway. Today is a very busy day, so we should meander in our imaginations for awhile before it begins. Not only is it Father's Day, it's also Sunday Stroll, Garden...

'Reflections in Time' (Salter 2002) Up front, I'll tell you . . . if you're already there, I can't help you. The first two years I was seriously "into" daylilies, I nearly lost my mind, and the children's inheritance, but I do know the signs: You join the local Hemerocallis club and pester everyone looking for a particular cultivar. When not hitting them up for a plant, you wander amongst the members trying to absorb all their knowledge. It is hard. You wish you could do mind meld a la Star Trek. You invite yourself to their gardens and walk around with pen and pad to write down all the names. They don't mind. They're addicted too. Hours pass, and your family wonders if you're ever coming home. 'Ivory Parasol' (Apshear 1991) You ask your new friends if they sell out of their gardens. They say "Sure," and ask you...

One of the biggest fears for anyone who has food intolerances or allergies is eating out. I eat out a great deal because I have three children involved in activities here and there. In my hometown, I've memorized all the restaurants where I can eat safely. Traveling halfway across the country is another matter. On our two week vacation, I was completely out of my element, but I found ways to cope with the uncertainty because I don't want to stay home for the rest of my life. I will share a few of my strategies, but I want to make it clear that this is what I do. I am not suggesting it will work for everyone, especially if they have full blown Celiac disease. Like the Boy Scouts, be prepared and take food with you. Assume you will be on the road and unable to find a suitable...

Have you ever wanted to own a historic garden, one created by someone who'd made it and herself famous? What would it be like? If the gardener were deceased, would any of the garden remain? Would you ever feel like it was yours? Could you make changes, or would you only want to preserve it? Once I finished Beautiful at All Seasons, I felt like I knew Elizabeth Lawrence's garden, but I wanted to experience it. A week ago, we were 160 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina, the closest I would ever get. Not expecting anything, I emailed The Friends of Elizabeth Lawrence, now the Wing Haven Gardens, explained about how the Garden Bloggers' Book Club was reading the book, and asked for a tour. The next day I heard from Lindie Wilson, the owner of the home and one of the editors of the book, who very graciously agreed...