There's a scene in the television series, Mad Men, where ad executive Don Draper, his beautiful wife, Betty, and their two children sit on a blanket in some lovely natural setting, circa 1955, enjoying a picnic. As they prepare to leave, Don nonchalantly tosses his beer can.

I'm looking for geranium plants that I want to grow and maintain in my living room windows. In the past I have had geranium plants that were more short and bushy than I have been able to find in the last several years. (At present I have two geranium plants in my window that are tall and scraggly. I have kept them because they have valiantly bloomed, but I really would like smaller, more bushy plants. Please help me!

If you were thinking ahead last fall, you may have tucked your fuchsia baskets under the house or cut them back to keep them in the garage for the winter. These plants that were kept from freezing will now be showing some new growth. They are telling us it is time to wake up and get growing, but they are going to need some help from you to give them their best start.

All three regional garden shows boast displays that showcase everything from the newest plants to creative landscape designs. The transformation to the magic of the summer garden has taken months of planning and preparation

Lettuce? Boring ol’ lettuce? Why would anyone be eager to grow lettuce when we yearn to grow impressive vegetables like tomatoes? Well, if your tomatoes are still huddled together in your garage or pouting from exposure to cold rain and hail, this is the year to discover the pleasure of growing a crop that snickers at the weather. Lettuce is the foundation for green salad year around. Any small corner of a flower bed will do or you can grow them effortlessly in a container or basket even if you have no garden space.

Growing their own food is a “dream come true” for many home gardeners. However, no one would have thought to include heat-loving citrus trees until a few years ago. The development of fruiting trees on “dwarf” root stock reduced the potential for unrestrained growth and brought the citrus grove to your doorstep. Yes, you still need to protect from severe Pacific Northwest winter temperature, but the containerized trees, easily maintained and productive in a pot, are a joy to grow. By following basic cultural practices, your trees will produce an abundant supply of fruit.

The forests of New England are famous for their displays of fall color, drawing millions of people every year to see the vivid autumn palette during the few short weeks before the leaves drop to the ground.The Lower Columbia region may not have expansive vistas of whole mountainsides clad in crimson, as seen in Vermont or upstate New York. Our fall colors tend toward yellow and golden hues, with fewer of the brilliant reds and scarlets, and our displays may be confined to smaller, localized areas. But our fall coloration lasts longer and is beautiful in its own right

The best leaf viewing areas in the Lower Columbia region are probably along the rivers and lower slopes of forested areas. Most of our upland forests are composed of conifers, while riparian areas are frequently alder-dominated. Neither of these forest types produce much fall color. But there are plenty of other slopes and riverside areas with big leaf maple, ash, cottonwood, cascara, oak, hawthorne and other deciduous trees and shrubs that produce spectacular fall color.

Growing your own vegetables is rewarding and economical. It could also be more healthful, as a result of avoiding chemical pesticides used by commercial produce growers. And vegetables don’t get any fresher than when they’re picked from the backyard just minutes before mealtime.