By Tamara Galbraith

The 2007 All-American Rose Selections were recently announced, and one of the three selections is, shall we say, eerily appropriate for Halloween? We'll be looking at the other two winners in the coming weeks, but first, let's turn our snouts toward the sky and let out a howl for the milky white elegance of "Moondance."

A floribunda characterized by large trusses of creamy, beautifully formed flowers contrasted by very glossy dark green foliage, Moondance is an upright, tall and extremely vigorous plant with stems that are typically 14-18 inches long -- perfect for cutting and arranging. The pointed, oval buds give way to high-centered flowers, which open flat to about 3½ inches in diameter and consist of approximately 25 petals each.

Moondance has a delightful raspberry/spicy fragrance that is unusual for a white floribunda. However, like most AARS winners, Moondance is highly resistant to black spot, mildew and rust. It is being introduced to the rose-buying public by Jackson & Perkins.

In short -- and borrowing from Van Morrison and his song "Moondance" -- this lively, spicy new rose is indeed fantabulous.

By Tamara Galbraith

As Halloween approaches, consider decorating your porch or front sidewalk with some pumpkins of a different color.

If you want a really rare pumpkin, try hunting for a Blue Pumpkin, often referred to as an Australian Blue. These unique pumpkins are smaller and flatter than a standard jack-o'-lantern, with a beautiful bluish grey color. Two red pumpkin varieties sometimes available are "Rouge D'Etant" or "Cinderella."

To complete the red, white and blue trifecta, look for ultra-chic white pumpkins, either in regular sizes or as impish miniatures. All forms of white pumpkins are becoming more popular every year for Halloween and Thanksgiving displays. Larger varieties are named Casper, Lumina and Snowball. And the small ones are Little Boo or Baby Boo.

Striped pumpkins are gaining attention too, especially the Austrian kind known for their cherished green seed oils. And not only does it sport gorgeous green stripes, but the Cushaw pumpkin has an elongated neck like a big squash. Italian cooking cultivars, like Marina Di Chioggia with scary bumpy skin, are also being developed.

Non-orange pumpkins are all edible, of course, but the flavor isn't always that great. Don't hold that against them, though - these colors are too much fun to be ignored. After all, Halloween is the time to dress up and be different!

Spring bulb displays are less predictable than summer flowers, and it can be especially disappointing when different bulbs planted in the same windowbox flower at different times. The consolation is that this does at least extend the interest. A good alternative is to plant single-subject displays which, although often brief, are frequently bolder.

Make sure that there are drainage holes, and add a layer of material to aid quick drainage, such as broken pots or pieces of chipped bark (normally sold for mulching).

Add enough potting soil to cover the bottom couple of centimeters (about an inch). As the bulbs do not need a lot of nutrients during the winter, you can often use some of the potting mixture previously used for summer bedding.

You can pack in more bulbs by planting in layers. Place large bulbs such as daffodils or tulips at the lower level.

Add more potting soil, then position the smaller bulbs, such as crocuses and scillas. Try to position them so that they lie between the larger bulbs. Be careful about the bulbs that you mix - small crocuses will be swamped by tall daffodils, so choose miniature or dwarf daffodils, to keep a suitable balance.

Top up with more potting soil, but leave about an inch of space at the top for watering and perhaps for decorative mulch. As the windowbox will look bare for some months, a few winter pansies will add a touch of interest. Don’t worry about the bulbs beneath - they will find their way through the pansies.

By Tamara Galbraith

Despite its somewhat scary name, Witch hazel (Hamamelis) is a lovely, diminutive, cool season blooming tree native to damp woodlands in eastern North America.

There are actually four species, two in North America (H. virginiana and H. vernalis), and one each in Japan (H. japonica) and China (H. mollis). When everything else in the garden is colorless, witch hazel takes the spotlight with her clusters of rich yellow to orange-red flowers that continue throughout the winter. The fragrant, inch-wide yellow or mahogany colored flowers appear in February after the coldest days of winter are past. The petals are strap shaped and open on warm days, closing at night and on cold days.

So why the spooky common name?

Well, the word "witch," has its origins in the Middle English term "wiche," from the Old English "wice," meaning "bendable." Supposedly, though, the plant really got its name from the use of the twigs as divining rods. Just as hazel twigs were used in England for dowsing or "water-witching," early Americans used witch hazel twigs in the unscientific practice of locating such things as underground water, hidden metal, etc.

A green forked branch in the shape of a "Y" was removed from the tree and stripped of leaves and sometimes the bark. The arms of the Y were held with the palms upward and the base of the Y straight up. As the dowser crisscrossed the fields, the branch was supposed to twist until it pointed to wherever water, ores, or valuable treasures were hidden under the soil.

Give it a try the next time you lose your trowel in the front yard or launch a golf ball into the woods. Or, maybe not. But do put a witch hazel tree in your landscape if you're looking for a small carefree tree that provides gorgeous winter color!

Lynda was born in Loma Linda, California. She is a retail/marketing graduate of the University of Southern California. Her first career was as a Sportswear Buyer for Harris' Department Stores.

Lynda comes to us from Flowerland in San Bernardino, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience.