Although I am a Colorado native, having been born in Grand Junction, I have very fond memories of life in New Jersey.  I attended a bit of junior high school there and all of high school in Maplewood and college in South Orange.  New Jersey has "the Garden State" as its slogan and if you watch the opening shots of "The Sopranos", you might think that someone's got it all wrong, there don't appear to be many gardens on the New Jersey Turnpike!  The soil there is rich, dark, and full of good things for plants.  I have memories of picking incredible strawberries in the southern part of the state and there are even cranberry bogs down there in south Jersey. 

One plant I never appreciated until I returned to Colorado to live was the rhododendron.  The foliage is dark green and glossy, not bad to look at but somewhat nondescript, and yet the blooms are exquisite.    Rhododendron don't thrive in Colorado.  I have no idea what the growth requirements are for them but I don't think I've ever seen one growing here.  That's too bad, as the blossoms are beautiful, as I hope you'll see in my artwork, "Beautiful Rhododendron". 

Here's to New Jersey! 

Speaking of New Jersey, take a look at http://klaatukafe.blogspot.com 
My dear friend from college days, Kathryn, posts it -- very interesting commentaries! 

And from Colorado now but Connecticut originally:  www.KateDardine.com -- some lovely artwork!