Winter already feels like it's here. Whenever I go to work, I layer up, especially 3 on top.

I'm glad that there are plants that bloom during the late fall and winter. So if you're looking for some to get you through this season, try heather, hellebores (yes they are a flower), wintergreen (smells good like the Lifesavers and chewing gum), winter pansies, primroses, etc.

Today I got to go to work, packaging together Christmas gift sets for those who love to garden. Those of you who read this may not know that I work at The Plant Farm in Smokey Point up in Washington state. It was fun, putting related items together, then tying twine around them, finally tagging them before they go through the inventory process.

At this time of year, the season has pretty much reached a low point, including shoppers who come. All the more reason to love spring and summer, but not so much the fall and certainly not the winter.

You see, I love where I work. For most of my life, I've enjoyed working with plants and learning about them too. Recently, I got accepted into the local WSU Master Gardener program. I'm excited about starting it next month in January. It is where I'll learn even more about plants, pests, diseases, products, and gardening techniques. It's right up my alley.

Any of you who view my blog and live in Washington state, come up, down, or over to The Plant Farm sometime to check it out. It's in Marysville. www.theplantfarm.com is their website.

Closeup of Flower on Maui

This is a photo that I took in Maui, when I went there for a family vacation last year in April. I like to take closeups of flowers. The late artist, Georgia O'Keefe is one of my favorites, inspiring much of my nature, especially flower, photos. I believe that it was on one of the hikes we took while on the Road to Hana. When I saw this flower, I just had to take a picture. Correct me (nicely) if I'm wrong, but I believe the flower is an impatien.

This is my 2nd post to this blog. Since this is the end of October, the growing season has been winding down. It makes me sad in a way. Most annuals are dying if they aren't already gone. Thank God for fall & winter flowers. Pansies are pretty much my favorite flower. Yes, there are fall/winter pansies and violas that we can grow. They provide some bright spots in the darker, colder, and shorter days.

Well, this is my first post on my Garden Paradise blog. In February, I began working at The Plant Farm in Marysville, Washington. Earlier last year, I moved up here from California.

Since I was a girl, I've loved gardening, whether planting trees, rosebushes, or flowers for mom, pulling weeds, or keeping container gardens. To this day, I still do. In my first apartment, I kept a container garden on my veranda. Now I just use what containers are already at home & put pots in different areas of the yard. Right now, I have a Topsy Turvy Strawberry planter hanging up; a couple of strawberries are just about ready for picking. Also, my tomatoes are the same type of planter for tomatoes. I try & water them at least every other day; it is cooler & wetter up in the Arlington/Marysville area. My favorite brand of seed is Burpee, which has given me some pretty good results with them. They will, as long as I do my part in watering & fertilizing whatever I plant.

So if you are also into gardening & want to share what works with you or have a problem, feel free to post.