The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced. Phil the groundhog predicted an early spring and he was right on. Groundhog Day was Feb. 2 and spring ...

There is a category of shrubs and trees that produce flowers before the leaves arrive in early spring, creating a wonderful tableau of bloom and branch. One of my favorites is Chaenomeles speciosa, ...

Q. I’m interested in growing a small flowering quince in a color other than orange. I also want to keep this shrub shorter than 3 feet. –Caroline Harkness, Chicago A. While most flowering quince ...

The Chaenomeles speciosa, commonly called flowering quince, is a beautiful spring-blooming deciduous shrub that is relatively easy to grow. It has showy flowers, often single but sometimes double, ...

There is a rather ordinary low hedge on my neighbor’s property that does not attract much attention until early winter, when its buds break out into vibrant pink blooms. This deciduous plant is ...

Believe it or not, spring is almost here! Many varieties of bulbs are blooming — winter Daphne’s intoxicating fragrance is filling my front bed, my Cornelian cherry is about to pop open and several ...

Phil the groundhog predicted an early spring and he was right. Groundhog Day was Feb. 2 and spring arrived at my house Feb. 3. Great Scott that was fast! I know I am slightly exaggerating, but as I ...

Phil the groundhog predicted an early spring, and he was right on. Groundhog Day was Feb. 2, and spring arrived at my house on Feb. 3. Great Scott that was fast! I know I am slightly exaggerating, but ...