I and my family have been picking strawberries, blueberries, marionberries and raspberries this summer and enjoying eating delicious fresh cobblers, smoothies and yogurt parfait. There is nothing like fresh and local to make the most out of summer. Have Fun in the Garden!

In our garden we have so much flower power. It is like walking into a booth at a flower market. Roses of all kinds, daisies, day lilies, yarrow, feverfew, geranium and salvia. Colors range from white, pink, yellow, blues, purples, orange and red. I hope it's beautiful where you are too. Enjoy yourself and have fun in the garden!

These first few days of May have been outstanding. It is going to be getting much hotter quickly. Make sure to water newly planted shrubs, trees and just about anything that is new to your garden. Keep yourself hydrated as well. Have Fun in the Garden!

I hang eggs from our Mount Fuji Flowering Cherry tree each year about this time. It is a bit of whimsy in a too serious world. It adds color and reminds me of the days when our children were young and looked forward to Easter egg hunts and many of the other delights of Spring.
In our garden we have the following plants in bloom: forsythia, hellebore, euphorbia, primrose, camellia and the bleeding heart is just starting.
I hope your home garden is showing some beauty too. Let me know if you need some good ideas for your garden. Have Fun in the Garden!

We make cookies and decorate them for this special day of love. They are eaten as quickly as they land on the plate.

This time of year is also a good time to cut back dormant grasses in your garden as well as doing a final hard prune to the roses if you have any. Raking the leaves and other debris from winter out of garden beds can make them look fresh and tended. I like to chop it all up while giving the lawn a first mow of the season and put all the organic matter in the compost pile.

We are having some dry weather here in Portland, so make the most of it. Have Fun in the Garden!

Looking at inspirational elements for the upcoming YGP show garden vignette. Yesterday I spent time at Cascadian Nurseries to see what was in stock. So many beautiful and interesting plants to choose from. I felt like a kid in a candy store. The show this year is February 8-10 at the Oregon Convention Center. My booth is 1704 in the ANLD member garden vignette area. Hope to see some friends and clients and meet some interesting gardeners that need my help.

I include Hellebore to most garden designs. They are evergreen perennials that perform well in morning sun with afternoon shade. They come in colors that include white, pink, green and even dark purple. Sometimes they have spots which are also beautiful. Now is a good time to see them in bloom and make good decisions about adding some winter magic in the garden.

Enjoy the fall season by displaying unusual winter squash. I took this photo when visiting Lucca Italy a few years back. It shows some of the many different squash that are available. Look at that color and texture!

The rain makes everything fresh again. The colors in the garden deepen and I enjoy time away from the routine of watering my garden. Today has been exceptionally beautiful with some fog and clearing to a bright and beautiful crisp fall day. Make the most out of each and every day. Look for  the good in what you already have. Live for today.