When I first decided to go into flower gardening more than just a few plants and annuals, it was when I was ill and needed something to look forward to. I wanted to plant a perennial and bulb garden in the fall so I could dream about it and not become discouraged during the winter.

My wonderful husband said he would dig whatever garden I wanted and help me plant it. We chose a circular spot 12 feet in diameter(Now called the circle garden) that I could easily see from the kitchen window and he dug it all by hand. He defined the perimeter with pavers and then made a half moon path also with pavers that divided it from East to West. We planted 6 white and 6 purple tulips and then 6 "blue" tulips.

Friends gave us divisions of their perennials and many of them I had never heard of and had no idea of the cost of a plant from the nursery or even what they were supposed to look like. They were all planted and then mulched with straw for the winter.

Needing to learn about the plants I now had, I took a subscription to the MN Horticulture magazine and studied each issue in the winter.

It really helped and when spring arrived, I looked out the window wishing the snow would melt more quickly but at last it did and the tulips showed their "noses" as my Mother-in Law called the first signs of the green.

It has been 11 years now and the same tulips are still coming up each spring in the circle garden and are joined by more. But each year it is still just as exciting when the "noses" of the tulips appear and the anticipation is the same.

It is my turn now to give away plants to those just starting. My daughter moved to her first house that has a yard and came and "shopped" as she said in our flower gardens. It is so much fun to see those plants now in her yard. Of course some are given to friends who do not have that particular plant and want to try it.

As anyone knows, who loves plants, we are not satisfied with the plants we have or the ones given to us but must visit each nursery and plant sale in seach of a new plant we just must have.