This is How it is Done at a Great Private Garden

 Severe pruning happens in the small window of time in the spring before the early bloomers emerge.
Also, low spots have soil added to build up the beds.
Finally leaf compost is added to protect the soil: dumped in piles and then raked to form a smooth blanket.

Yellow Spring Bloom

 Chinese Witchhazel, above and Winter Jasmine below are the earliest.  You can imagine the daffodils!

Mid-Century (Mostly) Antiques at New York Shows, March 2011

 The English dealer below had some older objects, like the 17th century handmade round wooden table.

Philly Flower Show, 2011

 The container display put on by the Plastics Council was well done.
Below, the Philadelphia Water Department is pushing rain gardens (and bike transport).

April found a new friend.