How wonderful to hear, Ingrid. I can't wait to see photos. We're at the forsythia daffodil stage here. Roses are leafing out with a few buds visible but just getting started.

Lily, my cat is the same way, always sitting in front of one open French door or another (they all have screens) spying on the birds, squirrels and rabbits. We always say that he's watching the animal channel.

Sheila, it's nice that you have more of a four-season climate without it however being too severe. Spring flowers and blooming shrubs are enchanting.

I am so happy for you, Ingrid. After all these years of drought...

Ingrid, I am also happy for you! One of the most lovely things about your setting is the naturalness of how your garden fits in, and you seem to have a good sense for what works best, so in that aspect it is perfect!

I hope you don’t mind me complimenting you on your writing skills, you always express yourself in such a beautiful way, you’re quite the wordsmith.

You express my sentiments about the "promise" of the year, but so much more eloquently! I was walking through my gardens yesterday, stopping and taking in each plant, and just continually uttering three words - "oh my god", Ooh my god", "oh my god", with expressions going between elation and wonder. Now is finally the time, after tens of hours of work weeding, pruning, preening, mulching, for the first time ever - dormant spraying, and fertilizing - that the entire orchestra is near breaking to crescendo. Buds EVERYWHERE. After replanting my Irises this year, my first ever Irises are blooming now. The two $5 Lowes rack rejects of petunias I got last summer and potted which gave me all year color, have come back with a vengeance and look like I get another year of blooms from them. My clematis for first time ever survived winter, and are getting little buds on them. I am near shaking with excitement to see what's coming next!

I like the period before bloom too. It seems like the plants are breathing in all the sunshine, rain, and food and then when they start blooming they breathe out. I like this time about as well as when they bloom. All the leaves are so new and shiny, well, many are shiny. I am hard of hearing but the birds were so loud the other day I could hear them plainly. Our Yoshino cherry tree is snowing pale pink petals. Glad you are feeling promise with your garden.

Rain rejuvenates, and as the garden is refreshed, it brings elation. Spring is a lovely season in California; it's good to hear that you are enjoying the garden, Ingrid.

Rosemary sounds wonderful with the roses and companion flowers. Rosette Delizy is a spectacular rose, looking forward to seeing it in bloom with your other garden delights.

Ingrid, I am so happy to read the tone of excitement in your words. The sadness you spoke of during winter just broke my heart. As a gardener I cannot imagine having to face the possibility of not digging in the earth.

I know the wonderful rains you’ve received this spring will not always happen for you but I hope the measures you have taken will always allow you to get out and play.

And for this year...we’ll this year my fingers are crossed that all your wildlife friends can at least get some of their food elsewhere since the land has been allowed a season of growth:)

Sounds lovely.. Looking forward to your always beautiful and interesting photos.

I love what you've all written, and how you share that feeling of wonder and excitement. The greatest compliment I can receive is that I've succeeded in integrating the garden with the landscape. I never take the natural beauty around me for granted, and it takes center stage. No strident reds or oranges are allowed, or roses that scream "modern". Not every rose is a fluff ball with a hundred petals; they vary in petal count and size just as flowers in a natural landscape would.

It's going to be very thrilling to see everyone's garden coming into bloom, some earlier and some later according to your climate zones. With any luck the spring bloom will extend from April to the end of June. It's going to be awesome!

I know it won't happen, Ingrid, but if you did change your color palette you would have us drooling over your orange and red. It's your design and artistry even more than your color selections that continue to amaze.

Sheila, thank you for such a lovely compliment. High praise from someone whose roses and garden continue to grow more spectacular every year. I'm so looking forward to how your tea roses especially have grown since last year. They seem to love your conditions, and you have the room to let them get really large.

So pleased for you Ingrid! It seems only a few weeks ago (tho must be longer than that) you were in despair for the future of your garden. Glad the rain is bringing hope and joy again. :-)

I've just lost a long post with umpteen pictures, so I will try again, much more briefly because this is not a happy situation. Thank you so much, Comtesse, and I hope you are keeping well.

I hope I'm forgiven for showing you this painting, which arrived from Denmark this morning. I'm so excited to have this lovely portrait of a collie.

It has to share its space with these two pugs. I hope they don't engage in fisticuffs after we go to bed!

Your home is precious, Ingrid. Beautiful dog portraits.

I do miss the zillion other pictures, but the landscape shots above are gorgeous.

The roses look great, Ingrid. Rosette Delizy has so many buds on it. I love the blend of colors, looks nice with Aunt Margy's rose.

It's interesting to see the whole plant of Rosette Delizy, the canes and growth habit.

You have a lovely home, beautiful artwork and furnishings.

Blondie, no one will mind if you go off-topic, and please do post your doggie pictures here. We'd all love to see them.

I'm much more of a cat person, but so often cat portraits are too sentimental or border on kitsch, although I do have one nice one done in charcoal. There seem to be many more good ones done of dogs, in all media, and I never tire of them. Just to get you started, here's one in my kitchen of a terrier, and there's one in porcelain on the table.

Ok here goes! I have a boston terrier & a chihuahua/Manchester terrier. But I love all dogs. Your portraits got me to thinking about commissioning a regal old fashioned portrait of them.

Blondie, I love your dog art; these are charming and whimsical portraits. You've done a great gallery wall too.

I'm lucky, Blondie, my vintage 1980's ranchburger has plenty of walls and they're all full of pictures. Well, since you asked, here's a pic taken from a vantage point that I hadn't done before.

And a little bouquet of Rosette Delizy and Madame Lambard).

Such pretty bouquets!

Hallo Blondie, your doggie paintings are cute but I LOVE your cow painting! Adorable. I love cows. I'm always telling dh that someday I am going to bring home a little jersey heifer lol.

Hello Ingrid!

Your garden and roses are beautiful, as always.

There's an excitement this spring seeing the plants responding to our winter rains after several years of drought -- both in the chaparral and in our gardens. Both the Spanish bluebells and the diminutive ground orchids in my yard have exceptional blooms this spring.

Nancy, how wonderful to see you here! You perfectly understand the giddiness of surveying the sumptuous feast this spring is providing after the years of what seemed like not much more than bread and water. I try to consciously live in the moment, and thankfully this has been an unusually long and cool number of weeks in which to enjoy the burgeoning plant life, day after day. Bellissima!

Giddiness -- excellent description!

The first glimpses of tender green in the spring inspire me beyond all reason.

Oh, that sentence says it all!