Why is Earth Day so important? The Earth is our home, our only home. By maintaining Earth鈥檚 health, it rewards us with a healthy and beautiful environment. It is a big job, but doable if we each do a little thing each day. By reducing, reusing, and recycling, you also save money.

The term 鈥渟hrinking violet鈥 was first applied to violets (Viola sororia) in the early 1800s in reference to the flower鈥檚 size. The charming white, blue, or purple flowers are small, but they鈥檙e so abundant in Illinois that it was adopted as the state flower in 1908.聽

During the day, the Dogwood Trail is a fairyland of dogwoods and other blooming trees, shrubs, and flowers. It is at night that the lighted dogwoods really standout. Here's how to spotlighting the trees to bring out their beauty.

All good athletes know the importance of warming up before playing. Gardeners are no different.

Spring this year has outdone itself in Paducah with everything in bloom from early daffodils to even earlier pears. But it is the flowering dogwoods that Paducah will celebrate for the 60th year with its Lighted Dogwood Trail.

The yard has been an entire spring season of blooms all at the same time. Unfortunately, the abundance of plant growth has included two vicious, destructive vines 鈥 Oriental bittersweet and greenbrier.

Women are known for their leadership in many fields, but less known as gardeners. Their accomplishments, however, have had equal and lasting importance.聽