I am a recent transplant from Minnesota, and not only am I happy that you have hockey - go Hurricanes! - but I am really looking forward to growing camellias.

Where, oh where are all the birds this mild winter?

'Scapes:  John Rottet, whose work has been featured in the 'Scapes column in Home & Garden since April 2004, is retiring after 30 years as a photojournalist for The News & Observer. The photo column was to "explore the beauty of nature, the elegance of architecture and the details of the surroundings that make our community unique." Here are a couple of his memorable photos of nature. Above, a Cope's gray tree frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) clings to ornamental grass in a small backyard pond in northern Durham County. These frogs produce a lovely flute-like trill, particularly on summer nights after a thunderstorm.

While wood and brick are obvious choices for a fence, certain evergreen shrubs also do this work very well, with the bonus of creating a softer, more natural barrier.

Class on caring for houseplants. Create your own bonsai. Of interest on Pinterest. Save that wrapper. Freezing ginger.

The gazania has to rank near the top of those daisy-like flowers so beautiful that everyone longs to have them in the garden. Remember the name Sunbathers, a colorful, relatively new series that is easy to grow.

What it is: "Slow Gardening: A No-Stress Philosophy for All Senses and Seasons" is iconoclast gardener-author Felder Rushing's slow-paced, all-purpose guide to living the slow life in the garden.

Singer Sewing Co. is marking the brand's 160th anniversary with a sewing machine that's reminiscent of machines from years past.