Prairie Fire Crabtree in bloom

      Ta-da!
Prairie Fire crabapple!!

Creeping phlox!!

Creeping phlox rock! 

Great mat of color in the spring. Plant on bed edges and give them room. They prefer full sun....which isn't a problem in spring when trees are beginning to leaf out. The flowers last long enough to introduce the next round of perennial color. Consider switching up your plant pallet to have a color rotation throughout the summer. As one fades another is beginning! 

Crabapple 'Prairie Fire' disease resistant variety! One or 2 more weeks and we'll have tons of pink blooms!!!

My sour cherry tree has a flower....small white cluster near center of the photo!! Cherries are coming!

 Hostas are emerging ....get your mulch down now.....

Jacobs ladder is beginning to bloom....my favorite shade perenial! 

The quite calm of the design room 

I love the drawing table my husband built for me! He is so creative...thank you Schmoopy!!

OH NO~SNOW!

I didn't cut my hostas back before the freeze now...I've got a bunch of mush in the garden. 

IF you get a chance, now is a great time to clean up your hostas and other perennial plants!

Keep off the frosty grass!

Any activity on the lawn while it is frosty, like walking on it or mowing it, will "break" the grass blade and damage the lawn. ... Scientifically, when a heavy object presses down onto the blades, the expanded water molecules slice through the grass and cause significant cellular damage.

Do your lawn a favor and "Keep off the grass!"

Many years ago I was dating a young man who loved sports. I was thrilled when the baseball season finally ended. All of our dates revolved around what game was on, and when the game should end. As the season was ending, my dreams of long romantic walks, spontaneous dinners and the courtship of the century, filled my mind. I delightfully stated, "Thank God baseball has ended!" to which he replied, "Yup! now basketball season!"

Everything in life has a season. Some longer than others and some seemingly longer than they actually are, (like that baseball season). However, there is always the next season to look forward to. 

Much like the season of baseball, that relationship didn't last, but the valuable lesson of looking forward to what's next did. 

Although the weather is changing outside and our desire for a warm cup of tea, a hot bowl of soup and a warm soft blanket beckons us; we still want the beauty of nature. But the clematis are done blooming, the Hosta plants need cutting back and the garden needs to be put to sleep for the winter. Dormant season is creeping in fast. 

 That's why I love orchids!

Their blooming cycle here in the Northern Hemisphere is during our winters. Perfect! When everything else is dying back, they are thrilling us with a spectacular bloom show. Don't grow impatient, they too have a season, but what a season it is!