Normally I get to hit the ground running in the spring, but last fall got too cold too quickly and I didn't do a clean up for the first time. The stands of garden phlox, the splayed strappy dead foliage of daylilies, nepetas, Veronicas, salvias, and Siberian iris are summarily ugly right now. We got an early insulating snow cover and any left over "winter interest" got buried by a horrific Christmas snowfall. Today, the last of the snow piles are gone and although it's a bit soggy to be doing a close up garden survey, I can see green out the windows - Oriental poppies, tall bearded iris, and coral bells for sure. The phlox subulata cascading down a patio retaining wall is lush without any dieback. It's going to be a bumper year for lilacs. Not getting younger or spryer, I've been doing some major editing for the past couple of seasons and I'm liking seeing ground between plants or clumps of plants. I don't zone push and I've long since stopped envying what cannot be had in this climate - Mother Nature is not whimsical here and a lot of blooming perennials, even the tried and true, have been replaced with small shrubs or conifers. This is a good time, looking down and over the gardens from upstairs windows, to make some mental notes.

Golden weeping willows are not long lived. I don't have any hard data, but I think at 100 yeasrs, or a few years earlier, they will begin to deteriorate. It depends on the site and some other factors. My favorite "legacy" trees, are the eastern white oak, and the baldcypress. Both of these are underplanted. I think Oikos Tree Crops has the golden weeping willow, but they offer several other willows, so be sure you get the right one--the second paragraph of my original post includes the names I have seen it sold under. But if you can find one nearby, you can easily propagate them from cuttings--there are different methods, and I think they all work. Here in the Winchester area there are not many around--most weeping willows are either the Babylon weeping willow, which can be a fine tree also, but I don't like it nearly as much as the golden. And there are one or two other cultivars "out there." If you find one with twigs as golden as those in my pictures, that's the one. Some others have some yellowish, or partially golden colored twigs, but unless the golden hue is strong, and goes back up the twigs for two or three years growth, at least, that's not the one you want. --spruce

If you have not yet visited Tranquil Lake Nursery, you owe it to yourself as a reward for all your hard work gardening this year. In Rehoboth Ma., just outside of Providence R.I., 1 hr. from Boston. I attended their annual July open house and heard these presentations- that are being repeated the next 2 Saturdays. Terrifically helpful talks. And the display gardens there are just simply the best in any New England public garden or nursery. They also sell alot of unusual perennials and woodies(and in great condition). Here's the notice of their upcoming programs: Greetings The many garden at Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth are always beautiful in the late summer and fall and the latest blooming varieties of our daylilies will blossom until frost. The nursery is offered three Garden Talks on Saturdays in September at 11:00 a.m. Bring a lawn chair. We will move indoors in case of rain. Our Fall Garden Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 3. The workshops and festival are free and open to the public. Spread the word. Saturday, September 12 Daylilies for the Late Season Garden and Their Companions (Garden Talk) 11 a.m Philip Boucher, horticulturist and co-owner of Tranquil Lake Nursery will show off some of his favorite "Daylilies for the Late Season " from the collection of 3,600 or more daylily varieties in the fields at Tranquil lake Nursery. Learn what characteristics to look for, how to use daylilies in the garden and then ramble through the fields to see the September blooming beauties up close. He will also recommend a diverse selection of perennials for the late season garden and will suggest plant combinations that will complement these plants through the garden season. Early fall is an excellent time to plant perennials for beauty this year and continued appeal in years to come. Saturday, September 19 Plant Combinations for the Late Season Garden and Early Spring (Garden Talk) 11 a.m. Take a look at some plant combinations that will accent the late season and add color and interest to the early spring with horticulturist and garden designer, Warren Leach. Early fall is an excellent time to plant and establish plants for the spring garden. Explore planting combinations of spring bulbs, perennials, and shrubs that will add color to your garden next spring while also offering interest in the late season. Try some of our suggestions for perennial and spring bulb combinations or put together some new combinations of your own Saturday, September 26 Plants for Late Fall and Winter Interest (Garden Talk) 11 a.m. Garden color and interest need not fade with the first fall frost and frost and may even persist through winter snows. Enhance this often overlooked garden season by adding perennials, grasses, shrubs and small trees that will add color, texture and structure in your borders throughout the fall and into the winter. Warren Leach, garden designer and co-owner of Tranquil Lake Nursery will highlight a variety of uncommon and lesser known late season beauties that will spice up your borders adding late-season blooms, fall foliage effect, colorful twigs and attractive fruit to brighten the fall and winter landscape. He will also offer design suggestions for combining these plants into your borders and protecting them for the winter ahead. Saturday, October 3 Fall Gardening Festival (Full day of garden talks and demonstrations) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spend an educational and fun filled day at Tranquil Lake Nursery in Rehoboth, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 3rd from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Learn new techniques that will help you to hone your gardening skills and improve the look and care of your own garden. We have invited a variety of speakers and exhibitors to share their knowledge and tools of the trade with you through workshops, hands-on activities, garden talks and demonstrations. Learn how and when to divide perennials, prune shrubs, propagate tender perennials, harvest and dry herbs and put the garden to bed for the winter. Experience the fine art of stone wall construction, add a water feature, or make hypertufas and more. There will also be workshops on perennials and shrubs for fall and winter interest, planting for spring color and spring bulbs. Plan to spend the whole day and learn how to improve the look of your garden this autumn, while you also get ready for the winter ahead and the spring to follow. You will also have the opportunity to wander among the gardens at Tranquil Lake Nursery, where you will see a diverse variety of perennials, grasses, shrubs and vines with late season interest. The gardens include a number of perennial borders, mixed perennial and shrub gardens, an ornamental vegetable garden, a thyme bench, container herb garden, an entry garden, an ornamental grass garden, a pond-side water garden, a bog garden, a dry-scree garden and more. The nursery also has more than 10 acres of daylilies and Siberian and Japanese Iris in the field. Some of the late blooming daylilies will still be in bloom at the end of September. Tranquil Lake Nursery offers a diverse selection of perennials, herbs, shrubs, grasses and tender perennials. Bring a picnic lunch; we'll provide the drinks. For more information, directions or a schedule, call the nursery visit our Web Site at www.tranquil-lake.com Warren Leach and Philip Boucher tranquil-lake@earthlink.net

Jim, I think joining the support group is a good idea, not only for emotional support and an outlet for talking to others with cats having the same problems, but you might get some good tips on how to deal with the IBD. IBD in cats must be more common than I'd realized. I know it occurs in humans. Did your vet give you any advice at all in dealing with this?....I hope some sun and warm weather returns to your area. Gardening is going to really help you focus on some fun things for a change. Thanks for your comments on the photos. Clancy is feeling better, but is not cured. Finn, a real sweetie, has to put up with ol' grump Clancy who's getting his naughty attitude back. Hans, I love your daffs and scylla. What a delightful color combination. My daffs are blooming, too, and it's kind of amazing that this is happening at the same time in The Netherlands and the hinterlands out here in Idaho, so far apart. I've got to take a photo of them because they are from antique bulbs, and they don't last long. My daffodil bulbs were found years ago by a friend's husband who rode back into the mountains of gold mining country, and found the original plants blooming in front of an abandoned miner's cabin. I've told this story before, but I love to think of all passing along of the bulbs from the original old, old plants. Thanks for the kitty compliments. Samuel, you are going to be growing some great veggies in your garden, and what a perfect job you are doing with the winter sowing. I wish I could sample a few you list this summer. Trish, are you ready for the big spring/fall start up? It's less than an hour away out here. Break out the fireworks and champagne! .....Thank you for the nice comments, but Samantha (daughter) looks like her Dad, and I look like my Dad, so we look nothing alike. Genetics is strange.....I totally agree that Elizabeth von Armin must have led a sad life for the most part. I think her cousin Kathryn Mansfield was a lot wilder. I just read Elizabeth's bio in Wikipedia, plus a few other random comments. I knew more about Mansfield from reading her stuff. We need to start a books thread. Book clubs are very popular around here, and a friend of mine belongs to two of them.....Lots of rain hereabouts, which is good, but my progress has ground to a halt, though the roses forge on. They'll be blooming before I get them pruned.....How does your garden look? You have my sympathies with all the doggy bedroom guests. I can't even sleep with a cat. They are not allowed in my bedroom. Is your son coming home permanently? That would be great. Bonnie, thanks for the American Graffiti link, which I enjoyed, plus I read the extensive Wikipedia write up, too. Brought back the details that I'd forgotten.....I got my chocolate chip cookies today when Jemma baked them. Then she took her final Driver's Ed drive with her mother in the back seat, and teacher in the front. Streeess. No. She passed with flying colors. See you all tomorrow and happy spring! Diane