Cold Climate Gardening

I am so pleased to get both of these chores done--in the same week, no less--that I just had to share it with you.

I've been fascinated with secret gardens ever since I read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. My favorite part is when Mary finds the key and enters the secret garden for the first time. My garden isn't very secret until the trees leaf out, but it still feels secluded and special. I'm in a different world when I'm there. Come join me!

The course of true spring never did run smooth, but it's getting off to an early start this year! How many different kinds of plants do you have blooming during mud season? Bet you I have more!

In search of perfect paperwhites . . . haven't gotten there yet. But I've learned that pebbles just don't work for me.

Have you been wringing your hands about this crazy weather, wondering if it will kill the bulbs that are emerging from the ground way too early? Chill! (pun intended). There's not too much you can do. Let me explain:

I'm reporting on the results of last year's experiment, when I wintered over a bunch of plants from my summer containers, hoping I can grow them again next year, even bigger and better. Some died, some struggled, and some did pretty well. I don't have ideal conditions, but I won't know what works and what doesn't unless I try. Read along to find out how I'm storing over a dozen different plants.

Eeny-meeny-minie-mo: there's more hardy, easy-care hydrangeas for cold climates than you ever dreamed! Here's some of the ones I've grown, and how they look in September. Quit coveting those bodacious snowballs of blue--you have choices!

Every gardener does it at some point: deliberately plant something in the garden that turns out to be a thug that takes years to remove--if ever. Read on to learn more about the plant I'm struggling with.

The mystery rose that came from my neighbor's garden started sending up suckers throughout the bed, threatening to take it over. What did I do? I sent it to Rose Purgatory.