I detest mosquitoes. Even before West Nile virus, I hated ’em. Judging by the number of techniques for avoiding weeding and digging, these are not generally at the top of the list of activities for most gardeners. However, I enjoy both, especially while it's still cool.

Consequently, I do most of my gardening in the early spring and late fall, before and after mosquito season. During the summer, everything pretty much is left to grow, or not. (Sometimes I water. Sometimes I don't. This is one reason I don't grow more annuals.)

Another way to get something new is show pictures taken in seasons I haven't previously photographed the garden, as in April or November. Obviously the daffs were shot in spring. Believe it or not, these roses were shot in November. In Michigan.

Here, I've washed out the hot pink in the original file for a more romantic look. Digital cameras, for some reason, don't handle blue-based reds real well, so it exaggerated the color some. Though this coloration may look more real, it isn't, at least not for this Bill Warriner rose, which is a hot pink and the only rose that reliably and dependably grows and blooms in my garden.

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.