Does your mom live a "stone's throw" away from you? Are you able to make her and all of your loved ones a delightful Mother's Day Brunch celebrating "her day" with your fresh eggs, delicately poached over heart-shaped polenta, melon-drizzled vinaigrette over arugula greens, blue cheese, and proscuitto, and gloriously ending with fresh berries and sour cream coffeecake? No, does she live out-of-state like my mom? Well, here is a great suggestion.

Stumped what to get your mom for Mother's Day? Say you "love her" with a symbol of love, a beautiful new rose plant for her garden. If you're a gardener, chances are you got your love of "digging in the dirt" from her.

If you haven't heard of Edmund's Roses before, you are in for a treat. Edmunds' Roses has an extensive selection of all kinds of bareroot roses, such as antique roses, floribundas, climbers, tree roses, hybrid tea roses and more. Once ordered, Edmunds' Roses sends out bare root roses, time-appropriate according to your plant zone you live in, so you receive your roses at their optimal time for planting. Prices and shipping are reasonable.

Edmunds' Roses is open year round for orders, and customer service, but actually ship their bare root roses from December through May each year. With Mother's Day less than a week away, you might consider sending your mom a gift certificate from Edmunds' Roses. Your mom can choose what type of rose she would like, what color, and when she would like it to redeem it. Gift certificates never expire and are available by phone only at, Edmunds' Roses, 1-888-481-7673, Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm CST.

A rose plant is something living, and keeps on giving year after year. It is a plant of beauty and emotion. Your mom will enjoy her rose and think of you, in her garden for many years.

Edmunds' Roses is a wonderful idea for other occasions besides "Mother's Day", such as the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, new home, new baby, and thank you.

Please go to Edmunds' Roses for more information and online ordering.

Last year my husband, John, and I were featured in an article called "Grow Greener" highlighting our flower/vegetable gardens, and organic practices in, Nature's Garden magazine, Spring 2008, http://www.debraprinzing.com/articles.php?article_id=40, written by friend, Debra Prinzing, an incredible garden and design features writer. See below, for more information on Debra. For this article, she asked me my "top ten healthy garden practices", and the last one I chose was "order before beauty", which Debra so aptly penned, "Chores Have Their Rewards".

One of the chores I was particularly thinking about, was caring for your tools. Tools should always be cleaned, dried, and stored away in an orderly manner. If you have the due diligence, go one step further and wrap clean rags or towels around your tool heads before stowing away. Spring is especially a great time to prep your garden tools and have them ready, for all of your busy gardening needs, so you can "hit the dirt running".

Take a good look at your tool inventory and their condition. Do you know where your favorite tools are? Are your tools clean, or a bit rusty? If so, deep clean and lubricate them. Do they seem dull when using, or do they still have their sharp edge? Make sure your tools are sharp, it will save you physically. Are your tool handles rough or soft to the touch? If rough, lightly sand your wood handle tools with fine sandpaper, and apply a generous amount of linseed oil with a soft cloth. If the oil absorbs quickly, reapply. Your tool handles will be as soft as velvet and a treat to work with. Properly cared for tools can last generations, and can be handed down from one generation to the next budding generation of gardeners.

It is all the same, whether it is your personal life, your home, or your garden. If you are organized and tidy, you will be much more effective, efficient, and accomplish more effortlessly. You will soon experience the rewards. There is a great quote that reinforces this message. "When you do the things you have to do when you have to do them, the day will come when you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them."--Zig Ziglar, Author.

Debra Prinzing is a Southern California-based writer and lecturer who specializes in interiors, architecture, and landscape design themes. For more information and articles, please visit her website, www.debraprinzing.com, and her blog, www.shedstyle.com. Her latest book, with William Wright, architectural and interior design photographer, is called "Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideways".

Wintertime has it's own beauty and purpose in the garden. The leaves have fallen. The rains have arrived. The temperature has dropped. The days are shorter. Mother nature is preparing for a deep rest and dormancy in the garden. Our gardens shut down to replenish themselves for that dramatic burst of energy, we call Spring and the continuing year ahead.

As gardeners, it is a great time of the year to see our gardens in a new perspective. With leaves fallen, blooms cut, plants trimmed back, we can easily see the architectural structure and "bones" of our gardens. In places where there is snow, and ice, a painting of wintry landscape emerges. There is something very ethereal about the garden at this time. Just like the other seasons, Winter has it's own beauty and mood.

Take the time to observe your garden carefully. It is a time to be especially grateful for your garden, what the garden gives back to you and your spirit. Be grateful of your garden's bounty throughout the year. Is it pretty fresh cut flowers every week for your home. Incredibly tasty fresh fruit and vegetables to cook and bake with for your family and friends. The kinship of garden friends that share your same passion. The connection with Mother Earth.

It is the time to contemplate your garden. A time to make any changes if needed. What you like about it. What you don't. What is not doing well in a location. What needs to be added. What would you like to do, if you had no constraints.

It is a planning time. It is a time to catch your breath after the holidays, before we are once again busy in the garden and mother nature wakes up from her brief repose. Take time for yourself, and read your new garden books from the holidays. Find your magazine articles you have clipped out and saved, but haven't had a chance to read. Make a pot of tea, sit by the fire, and pour over your new seed catalogs that have wonderful new selections of vegetables to be grown. Create a "To Do List" which might include checking and sharpening your garden tools, or what might need to be purchased to be ready for Spring. Perhaps, it is a time to reflect, study and plan the new direction you might want to take your garden.

Embrace your garden in the Winter, it is a time of beauty and peace.

Do you know your garden style? What are the elements that are repeated in your garden? What gives you joy to see? What do you gravitate towards? What is your vision with your garden? What do you like to do in your garden? Who do you spend time with in your garden? These are all great questions to ask yourself to help you define your style.

For instance, I like topiaries, espaliered trees, rustic arches, variegated plants, animal statuary, vintage gnome, boxwood, roses, fox gloves, hollyhocks, herbs, curving paths, olive trees, spiral shapes, cypress, juniper, roses, hydrangea, fruit trees, succulents, garden vignettes, hanging baskets, vintage containers, heirloom vegetables, and more.

All of these elements help define your garden style. When you are browsing or shopping at your favorite nurseries, garden shops, and flea markets, you will be more focused on what works in your garden, and what does not. It will save you money. You will be able to identify better what areas or items to spend your money on for your garden.

Color is also part of your style. Do you prefer soft, subtle tones? Do you prefer bright and dramatic color? Do you have a color scheme or palette to complement your garden style? If you enjoy your garden, you probably enjoy the joy of fresh cut flowers inside your home. Your garden colors should enhance the interior colors you have chosen in your home.

Do you have a modern home? Do you have a modern style? Perhaps you have a Cape Cod home, Spanish Hacienda, or an Arts & Crafts beauty. There is specific landscaping and plant selections that complement each style of home. Make sure that is in place, before you move on to refine your garden style.

A person can become quite well known and admired for their garden style. Go ahead, express yourself. What is your garden style?

VintageGardenGal commenced on September 4, 2008!