A garden is the perfect example of the circle of life. A garden is nature's way of taking and giving back life to the earth. A garden represents the infinite nature of energy.

It was on one of those almost-too-bright sunny mornings — you know, the kind where you have to stop and wait until your eyes adjust to the light inside.

I have a shady garden, so each flower on a shrub, tree, perennial or annual is a precious commodity.

We humans used to be mostly foragers and obtained our nutrition before the end of the last ice age by being hunter-gatherers.

Earlier this year, the flowering plums were the first trees to welcome the beginning of spring. Then came the flowering cherries, crabapples, pears, redbuds and lilacs. Now, the flowering dogwoods take over as the stars of the show. They are blooming everywhere I go. Whole neighborhoods, lined with dogwood trees, are coming to life. I know of several beautiful specimens along Hwy 9 that burst into bloom this time of year, covered in snowy white, pink or rosy blossoms. There are many types of dogwoods and every garden has the perfect spot for at least one. What better way to honor Earth Day 2014 than to plant a tree