Melinda’s city front yard was graced with the disease resistant sergeant crabapple Candy Mint filled with pink blooms and serviceberry Princess Diana which bloomed later. (Photo by Melinda Myers) The first time I met Melinda Myers was at Hawks Nursery in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, in 1999. She was signing copies of her book, The Garden Book [...]

A towering maple tree gives shade to the gardens in summer. (Photo by Chris Eirschele) My garden in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, began as a clean slate of top soil and compost in early 2000s. I was the first person to plant anything in it and I chose primarily perennials. The garden faces eastward, set on an incline, and surrounds the trunk of a [...]

Great Dixter where the landscape designer, Christopher Lloyd, once lived. The garden is located in East Sussex, Great Britain. Photo credit Alain Le Toquin/Abrams Books. A new elegant garden book out for travelers searching for gardens was published in October, 2012. Flowers in the World’s Most Beautiful Gardens was written by Yves-Marie Alla [...]

Today is a story from Tel Asiado, her articles written on Opera on her website, Inspired Pen Web, speak to her dedication.  Here she mixes music with flowers. A sea of red roses at Mirabell Gardens. Photo credit Tel Asiado. I am inspired by two of my all-time favourites:  composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the film The Sound of Music.  If y [...]

Yes, I get lilacs are not blooming right now, so why talk about them now?  Well, now is the time to plan and plant them for next spring.  If you were missing fragrance in your garden, you want more birds visiting or are in need of some spring color next year, lilacs will give it to you.  And yes,  there are some small lilac plants that will f [...]