I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden. --Ruth Stout Southern Alberta's Garden Climate Zone is typically Zone 3 Growing season: early June through August but with some variation; the longest seasons are usually found near this zone's large bodies of water. Frost may come any night of the year. Winters are snowy and intensely cold, due to latitude, elevation and/or influence of continental air mass. There's some summer rainfall. We love gardening and the Rocky Mountain Columbine is Dale's favorite flower in our garden. We have quite a few of them now and each year we add a new color or two. I cannot help but marvel at the perfection of this flower, and to know that it grows wild in Colorado! I would travel to Colorado just to see the fields of Columbine. We now have discovered the red with yellow, pink flower and yellow flower; I know there are more and I look forward to adding new varieties. (from 2000)   In Spring of 2002 we added a pale yellow and a pink one and then as the others started to bloom we saw that in reseeding themselves, new hybrids emerged! One such beauty was this mauve and yellow one. The red and yellow flowers have been reseeding already and this is what they look like in about their third season. Here are some of the new pink and yellow ones we planted in 2002 and by spring 2003 this plant should be heavy with new yellow blossoms. I can't wait, they're so beautiful! He's pretty close!! And this wasn't with the Zoom either! Before the lilies and honeysuckle are in bloom Same flowerbed... Honeysuckle and lilies in bloom! The rock gardens are filled with mainly perennials but we enjoy the geraniums in patio pots and various annuals in hanging baskets for all their color and also the fact that they bloom all summer. Geraniums These little Violas thrive in among the Junipers and the rich colors of the hearty little flower look beautiful with the dark green! I have to brag, just for a second, about my tomatoes. I planted these 2 little plants in June 2002 only hoping to get a couple of tomatoes by fall. By mid August I was bringing in 2 to 4 beautiful ripe tomatoes every day or two. Just this morning (September 19/02) I picked four :) Next year I want to double my crop to four plants - at the very least! August 2002 - Tomatoes!! The hanging baskets are so lively and colorful. We hang them on the fence to lift part of the garden to eye level See the pond in the background? We added it to the yard in June 2002 and then the firepit in August. Are we done yet? No, after that we tilled up the back of the yard to prepare for a garden next spring. We're going to try our green thumbs at some salad vegetables and raspberries!   I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring.  Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature's rebirth? -   Edward Giobbi Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. -  Doug Larson Top of Page Copyright©2003 PJ and Company