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.

Trees in Quail Hollow County Park, Santa Cruz County California

A Visit With Renee

San Franciso Scenes

 Looking back to San Francisco from the ferry to Sausalito, above.
Below, the sun rises to the east, looking from Noe Valley neighborhood near Twin Peaks toward Oakland.

 A small city park in Noe Valley has a magnificent view north toward the city.
The red patch is a homeless person in a sleeping bag.

Some Shots of Trees and Plants around San Francisco

 Early morning poppies, looking south from Twin Peaks, above.
Eucalyptus and Monterey Cypress in a city park, below.

 Camellia tree and Zantedeschia in a San Francisco yard above.
Mosaic sea monster climbs out of a container of rushes in front of a house boat, below.

The cat in the picture below basks in front of Sausalito houseboat gardens.

Ollie on Twin Peaks San Francisco

Winter Branches Hang Heavy With Snow