Each year, judges for the Great Gardens Contest argue over the entry deadline. Should we keep it in mid-July to give readers at least two months to photograph their gardens and get their entries in? Or should we make it earlier so roses and other early bloomers are still there when we visit finalists' gardens?

Rosemarie Engel might wish for the latter. Her English country garden stops traffic on Hills Church Road in Murrysville in the spring when thousands of Spanish bluebells and daffodils are in bloom. It happens again in late May and early June when more than 200 varieties of roses are at their peak. Yet, when judges from the Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Botanic Garden visited in late July and August, only a few repeat-or-late-blooming roses were showing their colors, along with phlox and other late-summer flowers.

Facing stiff competition, Mrs. Engel earned an honorable mention in the large garden category. If we had seen her flowers at their peak, she might have been a winner. To make it up to her, we've decided to feature her garden in the paper next year when it's at its best. In the meantime, enjoy a glimpse of her handiwork. We can't wait til spring!

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.