My Fantasy Garden

[gingernoname.livejournal.com]

 Happy Spring everyone!

Now that the ground has thawed and my first bunch of flowers has emerged I'm starting to fantasize about getting outside and getting my hands dirty.  Unfortunately, I know next to nothing about how to keep a plant- any plant- alive.  And this would be my first attempt at gardening outside of the deep south where it is impossible to kill anything.

What are some favorite nurseries in the area?  Do any of them have n00b gardening classes?  Preferably ones that start with "This is dirt.  It's made up of silica and various organic compounds.  This is a shovel.  Shove it into the ground."  

Thanks a lot!