As for color of Blue Paradise, while I'm not good at explaining this. Here goes, the color of the flower doesn't change but the spectrum of light reaching the flower does making it appear blue in the morning, purplish in sun and blue again towards evening. Like wise you can take a purple shaded flower indoors it looks blue and blue appears purple. Used to have fun with the kids when they were small with changing flower colors. You know it's like making rainbows on a sunny day with water. Not sure the kids enjoyed all my nonsense but I did. Oh well -)

My Romantic Four Seasons garden, (to be viewed with the same by Vivaldi): Winter, the entry walkway is in bloom with rows of Sweet Alyssium, and Paperwhite Narcissi, both sides of the sidewalk. In California this serves as a "winter snow-white" theme,in an area where snow never falls. The white Noisettte "Nastarana" and two "Westside Road Cream Tea" roses bloom through December. Dwarf Myrtle along the sidewalks share their fragrance with us when their foliage brushes against skirts and pant legs. Spring: fragrant purple violets, their green heart shaped foliage forms pretty clumps, forget-me-nots will come into bloom with Nicotiana mutabilis, and purple and white sweet peas, Sweet William, that I grew from seed this winter is already blooming. I have great masses of blue flowers that I forget the name of, their tasty black seeds are used on breads in the Middle east. Purple and white Petunias bloom beside "Mlle.Cecille Brunner". Summer: most of my roses are Old Garden Tea and Noisette roses and are pink and or white, so I'm adding dozens of purple Verbena among the roses, peach hued foxgoves and sky blue delphinium for color variation. I plan to plant a row of Pernetiana roses mingled with blue and purple delphinium and Monkshood. For fragrance I have Confederate jasmine, and Poets jasmine, wisteria, honeysuckle, Mexican mock orange vine and lavenders in every part of the property. I'm drawing up plans for a citrus tree to head a fan shaped herb garden and to provide shade for it. I love citrus because it has evergreen foliage and ornamental fruit in winter. I plan to have as many herbs as possible: bee balm, thyme in many forms, basil, lads love, tansy, spearmint and strawberries in crockery pots, English, Spanish and French lavender, parsley in abundance, lemon verbena, purple sage, chamomile, yarrow and an espaliered nobilis bay tree in a pot. Luxrosa

Wonderful, warm photos abound. Beautiful. I've been having a hard time falling asleep lately as I've been dreaming of the garden. I'm excited about adding many new things this year with the creation of some new beds. I'm learning more about my gardening style as the years go on. I'd like to focus more on perennial plants that have a lot of uses and such- I've been talking a lot about herbs specifically. I could also use more perennial ground covers around. We moved into our home here now 4 seasons ago and I've barely gotten anything done to the blank canvas/mess our property was in. I hope to continue fixing that this year. So much space needs to be covered! Last year was hard for me because I was pretty focused on learning about chicken keeping. I know a lot more now and this coming year will be better. Thank you for all the photos, very inspiring! Here is a link that might be useful: Ground cover ideas with perennial phlox

Dee, great photo! I'm exhausted. Not as exhausted as poor George, probably, but I was in the garden all weekend and every night this week after work. We finally have the front beds pretty well planted and mulched (just a few things left to be moved when I have more time). There is a still a pile of mulch in the driveway waiting to be spread out back and lots of weeds to be tackled back there. I also remembered to sow my cosmo, foxglove and cerinthe seeds. The great development for me this week was that my son has taken an interest in the yard. He has always hated the time I spend in the garden (not that he wants my attention when I'm in the house, lol). This year I bought him a reel lawn mower, which he seems to love, and an electric weedwhacker, which he loves more. Tonight he helped me by loading the wheelbarrow and delivering the mulch, and was actually asking about some of the plants and voicing his preferences (so far, alliums are a big hit, mainly because not much else is flowering). Dirty fingernails here as well - - and telltale dirt on my heels when I get in to work in the morning! Moving on, here's what is flowering this week: Allium purple sensation - - full bloom Fothergilla Mt. Airy - - beginning to fade Cercis canadensis 'Covey' - - really fading creeping phloxes - - full bloom conifers are shooting new growth Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' - - blooming on a very short stalk bleeding heart - - full bloom Salvia 'May Night' - - beginning to bloom Roseshell azalea 'Marie Hoffman' - - just starting to open Showing buds: dianthus peonies (lots - - and they were moved last year!) lady's mantle celadine poppy Still in process of leafing out: Hydrangeas weigela clethra cercis canadensis 'covey' fothergilla