VOLUME 22, ISSUE 14 • April 2, 2026

Neil Sperry editor. Gretchen Drew design and circulation.

To our Christian friends, a blessed Easter to you and yours on this Holy Week and weekend.

To our Jewish friends, wishing you a Happy Passover.

Perhaps gardening isn't first and foremost on your mind this weekend, but it's still springtime, so that means it's time for another e-gardens.

In this issue…
• Fun facts about Easter lilies;
• True facts about co-dominant tree trunks;
• This weekend's things to accomplish if you possibly can;
• Steve Huddleston brings us Chinese fringe tree; and
• I answer your questions.

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• 11 Chapters. 344 pages. 840 of my photos. 3 weeks of press checks in San Antonio - I was there for it all!
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• I sign every copy and I personally guarantee your satisfaction or I'll refund every penny.
• Not in bookstores and not on Amazon.

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Order from my website
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M-Th afternoons, Closed this Friday (800) 752-4769
Also available at Calloway's and
Cornelius Nurseries

Photo: You always have room for a mint plant or two. (But keep them confined. They do spread.)

Gardening This Weekend

You need a spiral notebook to list all the things a gardener could be doing this time of year. Your plants are calling out like a pack of hungry puppies. Let me help with the list. I know it's a holiday weekend, so I'll pare it down to the most critical things to get done.

Photo: Add coleus for quick spring color this weekend.

Chinese fringe tree is rare, but adapted

True to his assignment, Steve Huddleston has brought us another lovely plant that too few of us grow. Chinese fringe trees aren't common, but they're lovely. They ought to be more widely planted in Texas. I'll let him tell their story.

Photo: You can see where the tree gets its name.

Co-dominant stems may spell trouble

When a tree develops two or more trunks competing for dominance as the main trunk, the union they form can be a naturally weak point in the future. The certified arborists at Arborilogical Services have provided some important thoughts.

Photo: It's easy to see the co-dominance of these pecan trunks.

Fun facts about Easter lilies

I couldn't let the weekend pass without acknowledging the plant of the season. Few days are so associated with one special plant as Easter is with lovely white lilies. I've brought some fun facts about them.

Photo: An Easter lily looks so simple, yet growers say it's one of their most challenging crops.

Q&A – Ask Neil

Redbuds and wisteria didn't bloom well this year. Why? Texas mountain laurel is dying back. Why? What's the difference in "tropical" and "native" milkweeds? And I dispel an odd recommendation about feeding newly planted trees. See what I've written.

And, in closing…

I'll be doing my radio programs live both Saturday and Easter Sunday mornings. Here is information on the times, frequencies, stations, and phone numbers. I'll get us all through in time for church, but I'd surely appreciate your call.

First United Methodist Church of McKinney at a slightly different time of the year. Image clickable for larger view.

Looking for a church where everyone is welcome this Easter Sunday? Come to our church, whether online or in person. First United Methodist Church, 315 N. Church St., McKinney TX. Service times, podcasts, live stream all at the website.

I'm going to sign off for this week. Thanks so much for reading. Stop by your favorite local nursery soon and tell them I sent you in.

Until next week, be well and stay safe!

Happy Gardening!

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