This Is How It Begins

Spring plant and seed catalogs now replace the holiday cards and gift catalogs that previously filled my mailbox. I’m not complaining. I love these colorful, photo-filled brochures promising delicious vegetables for the growing season ahead. With snow still on the ground, I long for warm days in shorts and a T-shirt tending my potager — one filled with a season of meals.

I have my favorite mail-order companies, but I still scour each publication to see if there is something new to try. And from these, I’m building more than a mental wish list — the plant descriptions teach me about soil needs, timing, and the harvest to expect.

For now, reading and rereading these catalogs is how my new gardening season begins.