On Our Cover
Ptilotus ‘Joey’
By Ron Capek

Features

Fresh Blooms: The Best of ‘09
A totally new plant tops the list of Jim Nau’s best new varieties that will be on garden center shelves this spring.
By Jim Nau

Our plant Picks, Charted
Editors name their favorite plants for a variety of differing conditions.
By Carolyn Ulrich

Eclectic combos: See several ways to fill a container and learn the plants that are used in each.

Design shapes the Key
Learn how shapes can help organize the design of your garden.
By Michelle Byrne Walsh

Apply lessons learned to plan the garden—our two-page graph paper gives plenty of room for sketching, doodling or really laying out a proper border.

Stay organized
Year-long calendar containing 100-plus tips plus room to write in your own reminders.
By Michelle Byrne Walsh

Keep track of expenses with a budget; keep receipts, plant tags, seed packets, etc., in the accompanying envelope.

Columns

Chicago Botanic Garden News
A New Era In Flower Shows

Gardening 101
Must-Have Tools
By Nina A. Koziol

The Hands-On Gardener
Seed Starting Basics
By Carolyn Ulrich

The Garden Classroom
Plant Response to Warming
By Rose Rankin

Design Fundamentals
Primer on Shapes
By Michelle Byrne Walsh

Ideas
Cantigny’s Idea Garden
By Rebecca Russell

Mike Nowak

Departments

Editor's Letter

What To Do in the Garden

Ask Our Experts
What is one piece of Advice would you give to a beginning gardener?

Calendar of Gardening Events

Q and A

Regional Reports

Saturday Shopper

Potpourri
Gardening News and Views