Every garden gives you a starting point, a slope, a season, a patch of light, a blank space that needs a plan. This week is about working with those real conditions and turning them into strengths, with hillside ideas, early snowdrops, and bold color that stays vivid as the days brighten. Plus, a simple way to track the changes you are making.
Hillside landscaping can be a dream for views, but a challenge for erosion, drainage, and day-to-day upkeep. Start by assessing your slope and soil, then plan for safe access and smart stabilization. With the right approach, even a tricky incline can become a beautiful, functional part of the landscape! Designers: Anne Marsh and Gary Fear. Photo: Janet Loughrey.
Webinar Corner:
Enhancing Your Enjoyment of Spring
with David Culp
Join David, Rebecca, Denise, and Jim on Thursday, March 5th, 2026 at 6 PM Eastern* for over 60 minutes of spring garden inspiration!
Perfect for gardeners of all experience levels, this special session explores how to extend and enhance your enjoyment of the spring garden, drawing on decades of design wisdom, plant knowledge, and practical experience.
Ephemeral and long-lived perennials that stretch the season, creative use of containers to layer interest and color, a live Q&A with David, and more.
$20 USD Registration Fee.
(*Can't join us at that time? All registrants will receive the recording following the webinar.)
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden."
—Elizabeth Lawrence, writer and landscape architect
Attract pollinators early with snowdrops (Zones 3-9). When Galanthus blooms in February and March, it’s one of the first signs that spring is on the way. Plant in groups of at least 25 for a more natural, eye-catching display. Some varieties even have a honey-scented fragrance!
See snowdrops blooming in person at one of these gardens:
United States Botanic Garden (Washington, DC)
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (Richmond, VA)
Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square, PA)
Morris Arboretum & Gardens (Philadelphia, PA)
Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library (Winterthur, DE)
Montrose Garden (Hillsborough, NC)
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (Boston, MA)
Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums (Fremont, OH)
Chicago Botanic Garden (Glencoe, IL)
Leach Botanical Garden (Portland, OR)
United Kingdom
Cambridge University Botanic Garden (Cambridge, UK)
Thenford Arboretum & Gardens (Thenford, UK)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London, UK)
Bonus: David Culp is hosting his annual Galanthus Gala February 27th and 28th. Learn more here.
Garden Design Trend: Rich, Deep, Jewel-Tone Colors
Thinking about your spring and summer garden? Let jewel-toned plants take center stage in your garden this year. Unlike pastels, which can look a little washed out under harsh bright light, saturated color holds its own, glowing with intensity and bringing lasting drama to the garden.
In Freeland and Sabrina Tanner’s Napa garden, the rich flowers and foliage of Papaver ‘Plum Pudding’, Iris ‘Rosalie Figge’, and Penstemon ‘Dakota Burgundy’ shine through the glare. Photo by Rebecca Sweet.
Before-Middle-After
I keep a before-and-after photo album on my iPhone. When we plant a new area, I drop in a photo at the time of planting. Then, as the garden evolves, I add photos at different stages of growth. Seeing everything collected in one place makes it easy to track progress-and it makes the whole process more fun and motivating.
How do you keep track of your garden's progress? Hit reply and let me know!
-Jim Peterson
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In Case You Missed It:
30 Pollinator Plants to Grow
Houseplant Pests
Supporting Monarchs
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