I don't think any photographer can pass up the garden after a spring rain. I know I can't.

There's just something about the way the flowers and vegetables look. All the spring plants thrive on this early season rain.

It's fun to explore the garden on gray days.

As always, I love to get close to the flowers.

Violas and pansies love cool, spring rain. Photos by Doug Oster

Tulips come in many shapes and sizes.

These tulips grow in the fenced vegetable garden. Since I'm a no till gardener, I'll simply put some compost down and plant tomatoes in the same bed. I'll start putting tomatoes in the garden around May 15th and will continue planting through July.

Looking forward to seeing this tulip bloom, I can't remember which variety it is.

'Shirley' is a pretty tulip. It reminds me of a friend who shares the same name. That's why I planted it.

Garlic greens hold on to a fat droplet of rain.

An azalea just outside of the living room picture window prepares to bloom.

This is a lettuce mix from Renee's Seeds called 'European Reds and Greens.' I can't wait to try it in a salad.

'Sir Winston Churchill' daffodil is beautiful and fragrant. Photos by Doug Oster

I can't remember how I discovered 'Sir Winston Churchill' daffodil.

It's been growing in my garden for 10 years and add some bulbs each season. It's a late bloomer, long bloomer and smells like gardenias.

The multi-flowering stems are sturdy happily holding the blooms erect. Many daffodils will thrive with a little shade, but 'Sir Winston Churchill' is better off planting out in the open.

 Even though the trees aren't fully leafed out when they flower, the foliage is looking for full sun.

The fragrance is intoxicating and when planted in mass a spring breeze will fill the air with the most marvelous aroma.

Fall might seem like a long way off, but as I constantly preach, gardeners should be planning right now for bulb season. This is when you can see what's missing.

Put 'Sir Winston Churchill' on your planting list for the end of the season. Next spring you'll be rewarded with beautiful flowers which will fill and vase and then in turn, the house with the smell of gardenias.

This honey bee knows, the fragrance of 'Sir Winston Churchill' daffodil is intoxicating.

J.C. Penney might be floundering financially, in the wake of its $552 million net loss in the fourth quarter and the recent departure of former CEO Ron Johnson. But its fashion and beauty offerings continue to improve as the retailer adds designs by some of the industry's biggest names (Nanette Lepore, Duro Olowu and Marchesa, for example) to its inventory.

Its latest venture is an amped-up jewelry department called The Bijoux Bar, which will feature modestly priced pieces by some of the accessory world's top names, including Kara Ross, Kenneth Jay Lane and Lana Bramlette.

It rolls out in stores starting today, or shop the collections online at www.jcp.com.

Here's a a look at some pieces from the collection (Pictured above: Downtown by Lana hexagon disc necklace/J.C. Penney) ...

 KJL by Kenneth Jay Lane goldtone octopus ring.

Dom by Dominique Cohen charm necklace. 

Rodrigo-Brave star cuff.

Diego Massimo open chain necklace. 

Telio by Doris Panos three-piece ring set.

'Rococo' is a New Guinea impatiens which loves full shade. It could be a good choice to replace impatiens walleriana in the garden. I. walleriana were devastated by impatiens downy mildew last season.

These plants are infected with impatiens downy mildew. The flowers fall off, then the leaves and the plant collapses. Photo by Doug OsterLast year many gardeners were affected by impatiens downy mildew. The disease struck at the end of the season, killing many impatiens plants. The airborne spores drifted north and attacked as fall approached.

Impatiens walleriana is one of the species which contracts the disease, it's the most popular variety for gardeners to plant in the shade.

Since New Guinea impatiens are immune, they can act as a substitute. Many New Guinea impatiens however are bred to grow with some sun.

'Rococo' is a New Guinea which loves full shade. They come in colors ranging from deep red to soft pink.

They will be available at Home Depot stores this spring.

As the flowers emerge they resemble rose buds and when unfurled have ruffled blooms.

The plants can grow 16 inches high and 24 around.

The variety is in the Viva line, the same company who brought us SunPatiens (which I love) and many other introductions.

Here's a recent story I did on impatiens downy mildew which should answer any questions you have about the disease.

I'll be growing plenty of impatiens walleriana this season, but I expect to loose many of them at the end of the season. There's a long list of shade loving annual plants to fill the garden including torenia, begonias, caladiums, coleus and more.

There are also lots of perennial shade lovers which don't have to be planted every season, some of which are native plants.

Every season offers new challenges, it will be interesting to see if impatiens downy mildew is as rampant as last year...I hope not.