These rose leaves don't know it's winter still. Although I am enjoying them today during our 61 degree weather, I know that they will probably get zapped again by a winter blast. We've had freezes as late as April 20th. Branches of 'Ogon'/'Mellow Yellow' Spiraea thunbergii, Sedum repestre 'Angelina' and Mexican Feather Grass (Nassella teniussuma) show off in the tiered gardens. The Sedum lasted all winter and developed this lovely bicolor. It is normally chartreuse and goes well with the grass and the yellow leaved Spiraea. This Mexican Feather Grass is showing green at its base. It is saying "Hurry up Spring." So am I. In a month or two, I will cut it back to the green and wait for new strands to emerge. I love this grass for its ease of growth and its movement in the landscape. When the wind blows, it makes a swishing sound. It...

In the newest Garden Bloggers Design Workshop, Gardening Gone Wild gave us a color challenge. Specifically, what color combinations do we have in the garden and how do we use them? When I first began to garden, I only thought about harvesting vegetables and gathering armfuls of roses. I think I had visions of skipping through my garden, trug in hand, clipping blossoms. I couldn't imagine the hard work it would take to achieve even a wisp of this dream. Later, color itself became more important to me. I always thought of it in threes: yellow and blue with red or pink; silver with pink and white; purple with yellow and orange, the last one being a bright combination not appealing to everyone. I liked silver and pink for their softening effect, but I found that in my rural garden, they often appeared washed out and tired, instead of soothing....

Rain swollen streams, that is. This morning, thunder rumbled and crashed around my bedroom high in the trees. Soon, raindrops pounded against the skylight. Two hours later, as I drove ASW and Bear to school and myself to vote, big fat drops still splattered and plopped against my windshield. Rain, glorious rain. As I took these pictures, I breathed deeply, and the air smelled like pure, cold oxygen. Normally, this month brings gray days filled with more ice and snow, not rain. Although it's the shortest month on the calendar, it can be the longest in the year for gardeners. For those of us who live in fear of drought, rain in February is a big event. While we were getting ready, Bear asked me why we had thunder. She doesn't like the loud crashes and bangs, and much of April and May she spends in our bed, not her...

Symphony in Yellow By Oscar Wilde An omnibus across the bridge Crawls like a yellow butterfly And, here and there, a passer-by Shows like a little restless midge. Big barges full of yellow hay Are moored against the shadowy wharf, And, like a yellow silken scarf, The thick fog hangs along the quay. The yellow leaves begin to fade And flutter from the Temple elms, And at my feet the pale green Thames Lies like a rod of rippled jade. The Diva turns 15 on Monday. Her favorite color is yellow, and she is a symphony to me. For more musings, please visit Sweet Home and Garden Chicago.