An old fashioned favorite! The snapdragons come in so many colorful combinations – orange, pink, purple, red and white. They will grow best in full sun in well-drained soil.

You can use them to brighten your flower bed or use as a garden border. There are many varieties of snapdragons, including dwarf, intermediate and tall. Heights may reach up to 3 feet tall or be as short as 6 inches. The tall varieties may need support.

They are called snapdragons because of the flowered resemblance to the face of a dragon that opens and closes its mouth when it is squeezed.

In her book, “Vegetables Love Flowers”, Lisa Ziegler suggests planting them near your tomatoes. She says that the bumblebees you want for your tomatoes adore snapdragons.

When you first plant the snapdragons, pinch off the tops to encourage better branching. You can harvest snapdragons about twice a week. Cut low when you harvest to encourage strong stems with a more bushy plant. Keep them well watered.

Snapdragons are great for cutting! The blooms usually last about 7-10 days in a vase. Use an assortment of snapdragons to create a beautiful arrangement for your table or to share. Enjoy!!!!

I love the fresh looks of spring all around the landscape. So many of my plants have a story behind them or special memory. Check it out.

Asparagus is the first garden vegetable to enjoy and what a treat! Growing up we usually steamed it and served with a creamy white sauce. Very delicious but now I also like it fresh from the garden with a vegetable dip or wrapped in bacon and grilled. My favorite way to eat asparagus though is roasting it in the oven. Simply wash the fresh asparagus, rub with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse ground pepper and kosher salt. Roast at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes on a parchment or aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

My dad would often bring lilacs from the farm to the house for my mom. Sweet gesture that I have fond memories of so I have a lilac bush that always reminds me of his thoughtfulness. They smell so good too.

Part of the fun I have with my plants and flowers is moving and dividing them and filling in different areas. My phlox started out as a gift from a friend in a two inch pot and now it covers a large area and is beautiful!

Apple blossoms are always a welcome site and smell. I can almost taste the fresh applesauce already!

Now for the surprise-while I was outside I noticed a bunny and took a picture and was intrigued when I kept getting closer and closer and she didn’t move. Yes, my lawn needs mowed and yes, unfortunately, dandelions are also part of my spring scenery. Keeping it real.

Back to the bunny, she finally hopped just a few feet away to reveal why she hadn’t moved earlier.

Sweet surprise ending to a spring day at my home.

I love it when the daffodils and tulips start peeking out of the ground, it is a sure sign that spring is just around the corner and warmer weather is on the way! I planted these beautiful yellow and red tulips a couple of years ago and they are just gorgeous this year! I can’t remember the name, but the color combination really compliments the daffodils and grape hyacinths in our garden.

Spring flowers on parade – love the colors!

Tulips are so pretty in all stages from bud to full bloom. These are lovely in a vase, so bring some into your home to enjoy!

Bright colorful blooms!

These are inspiring me to plan ahead and order bulbs to plant in the fall. I recently took photos of our gardens so I will know where to plant the bulbs when they arrive at the end of summer.

If you like take garden photos – or other photos – you might want to try the Photo Room app. This is the photo above with a white background. The Photo Room app easily erases the background of a photo on your phone and gives you so many options to add a variety of backgrounds and text. Have fun playing in the dirt, in your garden and on your phone! Enjoy!