Dawn, You are beginning to grow as a gardener. Keep looking, looking, looking, and planting, planting, planting, and reading all about gardens. Visit as many nurseries and gardens as you can and you will grow and learn even more. lu in pa

Winter gives us an opportunity to appreciate things in a new way. Instead of complaining about winter and the inconvenience it brings, it can be looked upon as a way to rediscover nature: the sculptural forms of branches, the textures and different hues of bark, berries, etc etc etc. These things are often lost in summer's lush display.

In winter, the structural elements in my garden -- stone lanterns, benches, basins, bird baths, statues and other sculptures, -- contrast nicely with the bare trunk and branch structure of deciduous shrubs and trees and with the evergreen foliage of bamboos, camellias, and ferns. Winter flowers (camellia, cherry, jasmine, et al) liven up the green and brown background with touches of bright color. Snow -- if we get it -- adds a dimension of un-reality.