A lot of you have recently acquired a nice blooming Easter lily. These can be planted outdoors and will live for years to come. Don't get in a big hurry as "planting season" here is still a few weeks away. In the meantime, you can put them outside during the day and bring them in before dark. They enjoy a sunny window.

By mid to late May, go ahead and choose a spot outdoors which gets morning sun and afternoon shade and will drain well. Dig some all-purpose fertilizer into the bottom of the hole. Be sure the top of the bulb ends up about 6 inches below ground level. Cover, water and you're done.

These bulbs will revert to their normal bloom time which is mid-summer. They've been tricked into blooming earlier for Easter buyers.

Have the hummingbirds arrived at your feeders? Two Calliopes showed up at my house on April 16 ... right on time. Of course, they don't know the meaning of the word "share." I hung a second feeder out of sight of the first and hopefully that will do the trick. A male Rufous hummer joined the other two on Easter Sunday. I should probably add a third feeder now.

Calliope hummingbirds are North America's smallest birds. They weigh about the same as a nickel. It is truly amazing to think they can migrate well over a thousand miles twice a year. That's a lot of wing flapping!

Don't waste your money on hummingbird food at the stores. It is so easy, (and a whole lot cheaper,) to make your own. Just add a fourth cup of sugar to a cup of boiling water. Dissolve, cool and fill your feeders. Adding red food color isn't good for the birds. They'll still find it if there are red parts on the feeder. Avoid yellow parts as they attract wasps. If your feeder has yellow, paint over that with red paint. Even red nail polish will work.

One of my favorite trailers is Creeping Jenny. It has such pretty lime green foliage and goes with everything. Note: Do not plant this in the ground as it will take over.

Arbor Day was a few days ago. This is always a good reminder to plant trees. Please do your homework by reading up on the variety you have in mind. One of the most important aspects is eventual height. So often, people plant a tree under a power line only to have its head chopped off years later by the power company. Either plant a shorter tree or put it in a different location.

Be sure to circle the date of May 10 on your calendar. You won't want to miss the annual Plant Expo in Spokane. The location is the corner of Mission and Green. There are always hundreds of vendors selling everything plant related. The show runs all day and parking is free. Hours are 9 to 5. Bring Mom ... the next day is Mother's Day.

When I realized that Spring was here ... I got so excited I wet my plants!

Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. Since then, she has always kept a garden of some sort, growing everything from fruits and vegetables to flowers and house plants. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls.