Thoughts of spring come a little earlier around here than in most places in Canada. Shoots erupt and trees start to bud in January, even though we often have a final bout of cold weather (and occasionally snow) in early February. In about a month, though, it will well and truly be spring. And all that garden cleanup I procrastinated on last fall will become an urgent task.

For now, though, I’m going to enjoy my newly arrived seed catalogues, making overly ambitious lists of varieties I’d like to try growing, while studying my charts of gardens past.

Do you have space for plants where you live? Are you a balcony gardener or a backyard farmer? Do you grow for show or for food? What new plants or varieties have caught your eye this year? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.