the may garden chores, plus a big how-to and giveaway on unusual geraniums      

Ready for a geranium shake-up? Before I met the Heidgen family of Shady Hill Gardens in Illinois 15-plus years ago, I thought a geranium was a geranium was a geranium -- the thing with hot-colored flowers and scalloped foliage that smelled a little different. The plant that my Grandma put into window boxes each year, then hung on her basement clothesline in paper bags in winter (I kid you not).  

The Heidgens changed all that for me, and many other gardeners -- and might for you, too, if you win the gift sets of plants we're offering, along with growing and overwintering ideas. Start here. 

may chores: to-do's for a recalcitrant spring

I'm a day early -- and spring is a month late. Recalcitrant is the politest word I'm using to describe spring so far, and looking at the national weather map, I'm probably not alone in various other stronger mutterings. With my first garden Open Day looming May 10, panic mode is setting in -- but it's important (she says, mostly talking to herself) to steer around that and just soldier on. The drill for May.

miss it last issue?

• These amateur nature videos shot in Jersey City of all places made me stop, and look, and think. Amazing.
• Win tickets to visit private U.S. gardens open as part of the Garden Conservancy program