Spring flowers make an entrance

On this glorious spring-like day, my hyacinths couldn't resist poking their heads out of the dirt to greet the sun.

This green shoot will become a beautiful purple flower soon

The Garden Party Is Over

The party's over. Once again, our garden is ready for a long sleep. I've plucked the last tomatoes from the vines and though I see a few flowers here and there, I know they have no chance of fruiting. But there are still some bright spots.

The tomato vines have called it quits

This little eggplant wants to grow up. We'll see...

I'm rooting for these mini bell peppers.

The big bell pepper plants are determined to keep growing

The worms are getting their last meal, munching our collard greens.

The gardening work out

Years ago, I was in an all girl band with a fine bass player, Laura McDonald. These days she's a fitness guru and she has some pretty timely tips about how to make gardening good for you in more ways than just by eating your veggies. All that weeding and planting is really great exercise, she says. Any gardener can get a sense of that from the aches they get after moving pots, lugging soil and lifting watering cans all day. But Laura breaks it down to the muscles we stretch and tone with every bend and twist and the calories we burn. Adding a few squats and dips can make an even bigger impression on the figure. Read her blog post to find out how to make working in the garden a real work out.