Appeared in the Greenville Daily Advocate - Tuesday, March 27, 2007

WELCOME SPRING!

Spring is the time of year you can smell excitement in the air when you walk out your door.

The warmer weather has brought some green to our yards - sprouts of new life are popping through the soil.  My Dad has started his tomato seeds - he's like a 97-year-old "kid" watching the sprouts come through the peat pellets. He's in his height-of-glory when
he has something growing that he can nurture and take care of.

Crocus and Pansy's are welcoming us to spring with their bright colors. Both are so easy to grow, undemanding, tremendously colorful and you can't have just one of these happy flowers.
There are over 500 different varieties of pansies. A general rule is the smaller the flower, the more bloom you'll have.
The majestic giant hybrids are the largest flowering pansies that produce enormous blooms but they do have drawbacks. They offer fewer flowers because of their size, bloom less in winter due to shorter days and may suffer damage in very cold weather. The mid-size pansies, the Supreme and Delta Hybrids, offer reliable stamina and a reasonable number of blooms throughout the colder months and spring. 

The sweet little viola may be small, but go overboard with abundant blooms. These little ones also tolerate a bit more shade.
Most gardeners enjoy a good amount of color. Some like the rainbow effect - they want one of every color. Think of color in terms of families. Choose one, and stick with it. If yellow works with your house and you like more than one color, vary the shades for interest.
Pansies with dark blotches (faces) give you two colors. If you add another type, make it a solid-toned selection. Limit yourself to three shades.
Mix pansies and the little violas of the same shade for color continuity and first-rate texture.
They need a minimum of three to four hours of direct sun and like well-drained soil.

Keep your pansies and violas blooming by removing spent flowers. Better still, pick them often and bring them indoors to enjoy as tiny bouquets.  You don't need a garden to have pansies - they will grow beautifully in containers and flowerbeds alike. Plant some in a clay pot and add curly-leaved parsley to the mix for a lush container.

April is National Gardening Month - a few things you can celebrate with
school children or your grandchildren are to observe Earth Day on April 22.

Celebrate Arbor Day on April 27 by planting a tree or two...or more!
There's no greater time to be outdoors than in the spring!