It was in March of 1983 when my mother was told that she had cancer that has spread through both lungs. The prognostic was not good.

Knowing that my mother had very little time to live, I tried to spend as much time with her as possible. Because of the chemotherapy that she was receiving she would tire easily and was confined to a wheelchair if she wanted to be out of the house for any period of time.

I knew that one of the things that she loved to do was to be outdoors. She enjoyed nature - listening to birds sing, seeing buds brake out into beautiful flowers, smelling the fragrances of spring, touching the leaf of a flower and compare it’s texture with another.

I would come home to fix my mother lunch and see how she was feeling. On days that she had strength and would feel like going out, we ventured to different locations such as the arboretum or to one of the nearby nurseries. Northaven Gardens was a favorite since they had so many flowers to see. The concrete flooring made it easy for me to push her wheelchair around. The tables were at the right level to permit her a bird’s eye view of the showy flowers and to allow her to lift a flowerpot and smell the fragrances.

We visited Spring Creek Gardens the most since it was barely a mile from our house. Jim and Jean Stobaugh always greeted us as ntered. They always asked how my mother was doing.

Some days we would drive around Dallas. Highland Park was her favorite with all the dogwoods, crabapples, Bradford pears, red buds, white buds and more varieties of trees than I can remember. She enjoyed the azaleas scattered around Turtle Creek. She loved sitting under the shade of a tree and watch the kids run along the creek’s shore.

On certain days, after chemotherapy, she would call out my brother’s name or mine to caution us to stay away from the water.

This year, 2007, had to be one of the most spectacular displays of blooms that I can remember. Trees and shrubs were pectacular. Their bright colors and multitude of blooms were showier than I can ever remember. Was it caused by the drought? Do these trees think that they are about to die and have created more then usual blooms to produce more fruit with which to prolong its species?

Since 1983 I have paid more attention to the spring blooms. Not only do I see the flowers, I also see my mother’s smile. This March was no exception. As I drove around one day, with my mother deep in my thoughts, I was taking in the sights of spring. The beauty that she had shared with me some twenty-four years ago was now in a special way being shared again. Occasionally, I would stop in front of a house with forsythia, wisteria and climbing roses whose stems and vines had tangled into a beautiful mixed bouquet, or I would drive through the parking lot of a church with showy plum trees in full bloom. At one particular house in the Casa Linda area, I saw a spectacular Rose bed that made me come to a spectacular stop. The tires of my truck screeched as they tried to take hold in the loose gravel. I opened the door too quickly and allowed the dust to rush into the cab. I could not believe the beauty of these fifty-plus roses all in bloom. I love my job! To be able to drive around and observe the creations of others fills me with joy.

As I meandered through this rose bed stepping on large flagstone walkways I stopped to smell the different roses. And then I heard a sweet, shaky voice. “Beautiful, aren’t they?”

“Yes!” Surprised, maybe a little bit frightened or upset that I was disturbed from my quiet moment I exclaimed in a high pitched voice, “Yes!”

I really never turned to face this soft voiced lady. As soon as she approached me she started pointing out the names of one rose after another. We talked for a while before she complained that she had too many visitors, most of whom were disrespectful of her work. “People come out here and step off of the stone path and onto the beds. They compact the soil. Oh! I have worked so hard to get the soil just right. They pinch roses off as if they were meant just for them. I want everyone to admire my work, but from afar.”

Embarrassed for my intrusion into her rose bed I apologized. “It was not my intention to harm your plants, and I have stayed on the walkway. I bent down to smell the roses…”.breath….. "I did not pinch off any of the flowers.”

Her gentle hand grabbed my arm, ever so softly. Ever so motherly. “Don’t fret. I am not chastising you. I saw the way you walked through, you were very considerate, very careful. You must be a gardener.”

"I am. I have been working in gardens for 34 years.”

“Who do you work for?”

I pointed to my truck and showed her the sign on the door.

“Oh, you are Mr. Rohde.”

And this is the part that I like: “I am so honored with your visit. I go to your store all the time. I just did not get a look at your face until you turned around.”

I too turned around to face her. I held my breath. Her blue eyes caught my attention, her round glowing cheeks, her bright smile, her love for plants, all reminded me of my mother.

She invited me into her back yard where I was given a tour of her secret garden. There was something about the pleasure she took in showing me her work. That old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words was lost in the descriptions that she painted for me with her words. Very rarely do I see such passion displayed by anyone in anything that they do. This kind lady seemed glad to have me as a visitor and as I spent more time with her she confessed that this garden had been her husband’s. He was the one that started it from scratch as he prepared the beds and found the perfect plant for each spot. So many people visited his garden that when he died she felt pressure to keep up the garden. For years she paid for crews to come out and work by her side.

Realizing that it took many hours of work to maintain the garden as her husband had left it she removed the plants that needed the most care. The plants that did not perform to her likings were also cut up and thrown in the compost pile. After a few months of hard work she had recreated a low maintenance landscape. “Without drastically changing the look of the landscape that my husband created.”

Over the years she added every plant that she could find that bloomed in the spring. Find because some times she would collect plants from her neighbors or friends. The beauty was overwhelming. “ For me spring is the most spectacular season. The renewal of life.”

I told her about my newsletter and how I would love to mention her garden as a must see for all.

“Oh no! Do not do that. Let people find me on their own, I am used to a few people a day. I do not think I can handle many more people trampling through here.”

When I left I was relaxed. In her garden I was able to forget that I was supposed to be measuring a lawn somewhere nearby. If I had just driven by I would have spent another day at work. But that day gave me much joy and an invitation to come back and visit whenever I wanted. And I will.

This year trees shrubs and vines seemed to be at their prettiest.

The trees that I consider my favorites are:

Texas Mountain Laurel: The purple, strongly scented blooms invade the inside of our store. If the wind is blowing from the south we can enjoy the fragrance from this tree eventhough it is over 100’ away. It is evergreen and grows to a height of 15 feet.

Mexican Plum: Thousands of white blooms catch your senses way before you walk up to it. The purple bark seems to highlight the blooms. A few years ago a customer brought me a pie made from the tart fruit. It did not last long. Deciduous and grows to about 15 to 18 feet.

Crabapple: So many varieties, so many colors of blooms. Not as fragrant as the above trees, but showier since the blooms are large and explode from their buds before the tree leafs out. The fruit is small and plentiful. I am still waiting for a pie made from the fruit of this tree. My birthday is in June. But, I can always celebrate this wonderful day when my pie arrives. Please bring milk.

Shrubs. I was surprised to see the amount of flowers on Indian Hawthorns this year. Yes they were beautiful, but they are way down on my list of favorites because of the black spot and possible freeze damage that can effect their over all beauty. We hardly ever use more then three or five Indian Hawthorns in any landscape projects that we install.

My favorite spring blooming shrubs:

Flowering Almond: With it’s double blooms light purple to pink blooms always catches my eye. With a height of around 3 to 4 feet this deciduous plant can find it’s home in just about any garden.

Persian Lilac (Syringa persica): Is the only one that grows well in Dallas because it can take the heat. The very fragrant purple blooms are visible from far away since the clusters are quite large. I have never seen a Persian lilac that was more then 4 feet tall.

Bridal Wreath Spirea: The true white blooms are always an eye catcher. One of the first shrubs to bloom and one of the last to finish. This deciduous plant grows to about 5 feet.

Vines: Even though Carolina Jessamine has beautiful yellow blooms, I hate the fact that all the foliage grows to the top of the fence exposing all of the vines.

Lady Banksias Rose: Specially the yellow blooming (Lutea). It blooms from the ground up to the very tip of every branch. The color is so bright that it’s multitude of blooms can out shine the sun.

Crossvine: Any one of the colors are spectacular. Yellow, Tangerine or Red. The evergreen vine produces a large trumpet type flower that shows from a distance.

Wisteria: The purple fragrant blooms are unbelievable. My only concern is that the blooms are sporadic. Some years they are beautiful some years they are non-existent.

Roses: I love roses, but I really like the Antique Roses. Antique Roses are tough and can take drought conditions or even the sporadic wet springs that we get without showing signs of stress.

Martha Gonzales: I have three Martha Gonzales Roses at my house they are on the western edge of my landscape. From March through December they bloom. Not just one or two blooms, but dozens a time.

Sombreuil: This creamy white climber is growing on my garage wall. This wall faces west and would get so hot that the dark colored brick would burn your hand when you touch it. Not anymore. For the last two years I have enjoyed the thousands of blooms and the thick foliage that has cooled the wall.

Things to Do:

With all the energy spent in creating the beautiful flowers that the trees, shrubs, vines and perennials offered us this spring it is time to pay them back. A good feeding of an organic fertilizer or compost for the soil may entice some to flower again.

Spray Green Sense Foliar Juice on the leaves of all of your plants. Foliar Juice will be taken in by the plants easier then a granule product that must break down first. Foliar Feed as often as you want.

If you have winter rye grass mow it down now. With all the rain we have had there is a very good chance that the moisture and shade caused by the taller grass will kill or damage your Bermuda and St. Augustine grass.

If you have a weed problem this year try applying Humate. The trace minerals will help enrich the soil and decrease the amount of weeds. Mow with a grass catcher while the weeds are in bloom.

Here’s an offer for every person who’s been Blitzed by Bugs, Done in by Drought or Wigged-out by Weeds!

We can help solve your problems!

The Texas Cooperative Extension for Dallas County is accepting application for the 2007 Master Gardeners School. Classes are held each Tuesday (except for Labor Day Tuesday) Starting July 31, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. at the Texas A&M Dallas Research/Extension Center.

Pavilion Facility, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas 75252.

The $175.00 fee includes all materials.

Call the Dallas County Master Gardeners help desk M-F, 8:30 am – 4 pm at 214-904-3053 for more details.

Application deadline is Thursday - May 31.

Learn more and apply on line at http://www.dallasmastergardeners.org