January has been quiet in the gardens—it’s a time for rest, reflection, and planning. Even with frozen ground and short days, this weekend marks the beginning of the 2026 growing season.

Happy first day of meteorological spring! Yesterdays snowfall is quickly melting away on this warmish and windless sunny day. I took a break in February to do bookwork, with only a handful of days used to pot up overwintered native pollinator plants.