But when last spring rolled around, Maggie found one plant with a four-petaled, blue-purple flower. She was so excited, she did some research and found that a bloom with four petals is unusual.

Peggy visits Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden to talk with Dean Dietrich about flowering shrubs. John explores a unique Lily and other blooming flowers with Peggy Cornett at Thomas Jefferson’s ...

If this intrigues you, make plans to attend the Clara B. Rees Iris Society 54th annual show and plant sale noon to 5 p.m. April 9-10 at Westgate Mall, Center Court, 1600 Saratoga Ave., San Jose.

A 32-inch bearded iris named Judy Mogil sports large blooms in a flattened form with lavender blue standards and an irregular pattern of color.

Make sure you plant disease-resistant tomato varieties. Rotate the planting area within your garden by only planting tomatoes in the same place once in three to four years.

UNUSUAL: Iris 'George’. Deep plum-purple, their dark velvety centres streaked with white and yellow. Strong-scented, £3 for 15, Avon Bulbs. CLASSIC: Muscari 'Heavenly Blue’ ...