Gardening is my happy place. Planting things in the ground, watching them grow, tending to their needs—it’s a joy, a peaceful discipline, a meditative break from the stresses of my day. I know there are a lot of others out there who feel the same need to get their hands into the soil, to watch plants and flowers bud and bloom or to grow their own produce and see the efforts of their harvest on the dinner table.
That is just one of the reasons why our April issue, with its Special Section focus on home and garden topics, is near and dear to my heart. This month we look at two Costco suppliers: CedarCraft and Bower & Branch. CedarCraft creates innovative planters made from rescued cedar, while Bower & Branch, a supplier through Costco Next, provides everything from full-grown trees to flowering plants and shrubs. Bower & Branch also offers consultants (they call them “plant whisperers”) who can help you plan your new landscape.
Most likely, those plant whisperers will talk to you about the zone you live in, and how it pertains to what you should be selecting to grow and thrive on your property. This is the topic of our cover story, which lays out how to use plant hardiness maps to identify your zone and choose the right plants that will stand a better chance to survive, grow and thrive. (By the way, if you aren’t into maintenance or have water challenges or live in a no-grow zone, be sure to check out the article on artificial turf.)
After a day of gardening, it’s time to relax and (in my case, because my talents do not extend to the kitchen) have my husband crank up the new Kirkland Signature™ grill and enjoy a well-deserved outdoor meal, as we take in our lovely backyard landscape.
- Bestselling novelist Danielle Steel is our May cover story.
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