Snowdrops and Cyclamen are heralding spring in the midst of winter.

Today is the opening day of the NW Flower Show in Seattle. For me and my good friend, Bonnie, it means an annual pilgrimage to the show beginning early tomorrow morning. This is the shot across the bow of winter and our first fix of spring. We buy plants, seeds & garden art. We listen to speakers. We talk gardens until we are silly and then do it some more. For the first time, I will be on the podium side of the stage. I am giving my maiden talk at this show on Saturday night at 5:45 in the Rainier Room. My talk is entitled ‘Understanding Basic Design Principles: Getting Started on Good Garden Design’. It’s pulled right out of a chapter in my book, which now has a working title of “Understanding Garden Design: A Complete Handbook for Aspiring Designers”. Not sexy, but it gets the message across.