After moving to Washington state's Snoqualmie Valley in 1995, Dawn Bymaster and her husband Dave began transforming what once was a farmer's field into a series of beautiful gardens. Each year, these gardens put their beauty on display throughout the seasons, attracting birds, butterflies, deer, frogs, and cats.

Fencing the entire property to keep the deer out was not an option as "the deer were there before we were." So, trial and error with plant varieties gave way to gardens without fences. But the plants that Dawn couldn't do without went behind a fence, as do the vegetables each year. Dawn works the gardens organically, even mixing up her own fertilizers from natural sources. "Organic gardens are healthier gardens and the plants can withstand so much more with less fussing," she explains.

"Working the land and arranging the gardens gives me an opportunity to see the plants differently than just what color they bloom. I know which animals like which plants and at what time of the year. I plant heather and crocuses to help get the bees going in the late winter, and then in early March, the hummingbirds show up just as the willows begin to bloom. I try to do a little for all the animals that live here around us."

"Getting that involved with nature gave me a different way of looking at the plants. I stopped looking for color and started noticing formation. Each plant is a little world to an insect or butterfly, providing shelter for one and nectar for the other. And I started to wonder how many people have seen and appreciated their garden in this way? It's one of the reasons I prefer to hand-water my flowers and plants, because when you do, you have to get right in there and lift the bottom leaves up and get the water down to the roots. And you never know what you will find — a frog, a snake, or a tiny new shoot reaching for the sun."

Dawn began taking pictures of her gardens and soon made greeting cards with them to send as gifts to her grandmothers in Northern Ireland. She was happily surprised at how much they enjoyed them. "I had to start sending doubles of each card so that they would let go of them and actually use them," Dawn recalls. The popularity of her cards was the inspiration for her greeting card business.

"People who love working in their garden as well as those who maybe can't work in their garden anymore will surely love these cards. And those who love animals and nature will enjoy them, too! So, have a look and see what's In My Garden..."