I need flowers and I need them now. The snow's been washed away, and all I can see is a vast expanse of dirt in my yard. With dogs standing in it. Dogs with muddy paws who will want to come in and run all around my house.

But there are flowers in Richmond — all you have to do is get into your car and drive to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden to get a glimpse of them. Growing in their crazy* Victorian-style conservatory are hundreds (thousands?) of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths in full-color bloom. It's a special display in honor of Valentine's Day and doesn't end until Feb. 28.

Drink in the color, gardenistas; it's going to be a while before we see the outside kind around here.

*Crazy in the sense that this glass house is 11,000 square feet and has a dome that's 63 feet tall. I can't imagine how they keep it clean.