Hi GPODers, this is your editor, Joseph, and as we head into serious winter here in my northern Indiana garden, I’m looking back at my favorite garden moments from the year that just passed. I hope it’ll inspire you to do the same and to send your favorites into the GPOD so we can all get inspired and try out new ideas for the gardening year ahead!

Winter in my climate (the edge of Zones 5 and 6, with LOTS of snow) is long, so snowdrops are essential! This is one of 500 Galanthus elwesii (Zones 4–7) I planted in the fall of 2021, here flowering bravely through a late snowfall. My only regret is not planting more!

Also essential for surviving the long winter here is lots of gardening indoors. This is my grow-light setup. It’s nothing fancy, just wire shelves and cheap LED shoplights from the hardware store, but they let me grow lots and lots of plants through the winter to fill my new garden.

And houseplants! I got into African violets last year, and this one, ‘Bob Serbin’, just blew me away with the profusion of blooms. It’s fabulous to have when there is 3 feet of snow outside.

Once spring arrived, I went for lots of hikes and saw these beautiful wildflowers, our native hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba, Zones 3–9). These early bloomers are native to the eastern half of North America. They were so beautiful that I was inspired to buy some for my home garden. I can’t wait to see them bloom this spring!

And it’s hard to beat daffodils. This is my current favorite variety, Narcissus ‘Moonlight Sensation’ (Zones 4–8), which makes more blooms per bulb than any other I’ve grown. Bonus: it smells great too!

I grew these peonies (Paeonia lactiflora, Zones 3–8) from seed I collected in a friend’s garden a few years ago. I love the single-flower form, both for the graceful look of fewer petals and because they stand tall without staking, unlike the heavier double-flowered forms.

Another wildflower sighting that inspired me: wild lupines. This is the true species native to the eastern part of North America, Lupinus perennis (Zones 3–9). It’s host for many butterflies, including the endangered karner blue, which only feeds on the leaves of this species. This stand was just thriving by a roadside. It’s definitely on my list to add to my home garden next year.

And here’s one of the longest-performing plants in my garden this year: snapdragons (Antirrhinum hybrids, usually grown as annuals). I planted these in the bed between my sidewalk and the street this spring, and they have bloomed nonstop right through the summer and long after our first frost. I missed this plant when I lived in coastal Virginia, as it got too hot there for them to survive the summer. But here in Indiana they are hard to beat.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation. Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency.

Buy at Amazon

Morvat Heavy Duty Brass Y-Valve

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- Instantly create two tap outlets with this ultra-durable Y hose splitter. The dual-valve design features built-in shut-off valves.
- Fitted with US Standard NH 3/4" threads for use with most water source fittings
- Screw the 2 way splitter adapter by hand or wrench with the updated hexagonal top connection. The 360° rotatable swivel connection attaches to any water source.

Buy at Amazon

XLUX Soil Moisture Meter

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- Large and clear dial, including ten scales, plug and read
- Simply insert the moisture meter into soil and you'll get the test result instantly
- Single probe, less hurts to the roots, doesn't dig up too much soil after test

Buy at Amazon