Being trapped inside is not good for the psyche; so, since March, I’ve spent as much time outdoors as possible. And even if this winter is the rainiest, coldest, darkest on record in Seattle, I’ll be outside awhile each day…to keep sane.

Gardening and gardens have always been important to me. I was introduced to planting and caring for plants by my maternal grandmother, a tough, never-tired/always-working woman (I do believe she ‘slept’ with one eye open and a to-do list running through her thoughts). Almost the moment I planted my own seeds under her supervision, I started reading about my plants. Their history was fascinating and learning about them took me all over the world. Some of the plants I “knew personally” had ancestors from Japan, China, South America, the Mediterranean and this thrilled me.

I just finished reading the wonderful (and beautifully illustrated) Remarkable Trees by Christina Harrison and Tony Kirkham….

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