Gardening with Dani Collins

When it comes to gardening, I take the attitude that enthusiasm counts for more than skill.

 

We live in a rural mountainous area with tons of deer. They’re adorable when they’re small, but they can be a real nuisance if you’re an avid gardener. You have to fence your yard or get a dog or accept that certain plants are a buffet for them.

 

 

There’s no such thing as ‘deer proof.’ They will nibble anything, especially in winter. I have a ton of lavender and oregano, since they tend to leave that alone, and we’ve had good luck with lupins and irises. My mom was moving and let me lift a bunch of irises from her yard before they sold so I have some really beautiful ones like this:

 

 

Because of the long winter, I’m always looking for early bloomers and good perennials. My latest obsession are these tiny violets called Johnny Jumps. My mom’s garden was full of them in all different colors. They even got into the lawn, which doesn’t bother me a bit so I stole a bunch and am patiently waiting for them to carpet the place.

 

 

While we can get several feet of snow through the winter,  and floods in spring, our summers are hot and dry. A few years ago, I rearranged this corner into a rockery with some tiny succulents and those hardy oregano and lupins. No, that glass of wine didn’t grow there. In the evenings, I like to wander my yard to see what’s blooming and what needs weeding. (Hint: everything!)

 

 

My grandmother was a true gardener. She loved her roses and spent much of life weeding and tending her gardens. About twenty-five years ago, she gave me a cutting from her peony and we’ve managed to keep it alive all this time. I absolutely love it. It’s beautiful and has a rose-like fragrance.

 

 

Speaking of fragrance, we’ve been working on bringing more into the yard. We have several lilacs and choke cherries release a wonderful scent in the spring. They’re also an interesting tree, changing color through the year. I really love them so we now have three. My pride and joy, though, is our mock orange, which is situated near the deck so we can enjoy the perfume during happy hour.

 

 

I had never seen a smoke bush before we moved to this area and I only wish I’d bought one sooner. (There is a proverb that says the best time to buy a tree is twenty years ago, the second best time is today.) This was very small when we bought it, but it’s starting to come into its potential (despite my lack of diligent weeding.)

 

 

Finally, while we wouldn’t have planted fruit trees ourself, there were several on the yard. We have cherry, plum, apple and two pear trees. It’s always a race to see if we’ll get something off them or if the birds/racoons/bears and deer will get there first. This apple tree actually grew itself in my vegetable garden. I was prepared to cut it down last year when it finally went into blossom. The apples were so good (once they ripened)! So I’m leaving it for now.

 

 

I hope I’ve introduced you to some new plants!

 

Dani is an award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author who thrives on giving readers emotional, compelling, heart-soaring romance with laughter and heat thrown in, just like real life. She writes contemporary romance for Harlequin Presents and Tule’s Montana Born, and Western Historical romance for Entangled Amara. When she’s not writing, she gardens haphazardly. Dani lives in Southern BC, Canada with her high school sweetheart husband. Her latest release, Awakened on Her Royal Wedding Night, features a labyrinth with a rose garden in the center, something she’s always wanted in real life.

 

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Awakened on Her Royal Wedding Night

Swept away to the palace

To become his bride!

Having dived into the ocean to escape one man, model Claudine Bergqvist washes up at Prince Felipe’s feet. She’s never before felt the searing heat that flashes between them. But she hardly expects Felipe to propose marriage!

Felipe must wed promptly or lose his place in line to the throne. So, in return, he’ll provide everything needed to help Claudine’s ailing mother. Claudine agrees—this could be her only chance to experience true pleasure! But can she enjoy the benefits of their marital bed without catching feelings for her new husband?

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