Daydreaming About Spring Flowers

In Kansas City we started the new year with unseasonably warm and dry weather. I won't complain about a 50-degree day in January, but we do need the season to bring us the gentle blankets of snow that cover our gardens to let them rest and prepare for spring. This week we've been alarmingly warned about the impending winter storm "Fern". "Fern" delivered bitterly cold temperatures and a lovely amount of snow at my house. Today the sun is shining brightly over the winter wonderland.

Yesterday as the snow was falling, I sat looking out my sunroom window at my backyard berm and creek bed. We were able to do significant fall cleanup and pruning of trees and shrubs there. Nothing like a good snow to reveal the bones of the garden. Now I'm envisioning more changes and new plants for that area.

Gardening magazines and plant catalogs have been arriving in the mail and Proven Winners recently sent the email with their 2026 garden recipes of the year. Planning a garden is one of the most hopeful things one can do. As nursery owners and workers tend seedlings in their greenhouses we can dream of the beauty we'll find in the garden centers this spring, then bring to our own yards, patios, and porches.

I've been keeping a garden notebook, noting what I plant, when, and how to care for varieties. I'm trying to get better at knowing how many annuals I need to purchase to fill my designated flowerbeds, rather than buying a hoard of plants and hoping to give them all a home. I'm tracking plants that are strong performers in my gardens.

This spring I want to rescue a few perennials that have been overwhelmed by neighboring plants. Relocate them to an area where they may thrive. I also plan to remove a few plants that provide me more grief than joy. Parts of my garden are maturing, and some areas need a boost.

I've divided my garden and containers into zones, and I like to plan and tend them as unique, individual components of my overall garden. Each zone has unique characteristics depending on which side of the house they're on, amount on sunshine, hazard for deer, and need for water.

Front Gardens

East Side Cottage Garden

North Garden

West Shade Garden

West Sun Garden

Backyard Berm & Creek Bed

Deck Containers

Front Porch Containers

Patio Containers

Here are some sources I'm studying as I'm in this garden planning phase:

1. My biggest source for inspiration is Laura on the YouTube channel Garden Answer. Even as an experienced gardener, I've learned SO MUCH from her.

   
   

   

   www.youtube.com/gardenanswer www.facebook.com/gardenanswer www.gardenanswer.com
   

2. Proven Winners plant brand. Many of my most successful plants have this brand. Their annuals are superb! Their website is a huge resource for garden and container planning. They do a great job illustrating what plants work well together. Proven Winners | The Brand Gardeners Trust Gardening Ideas for a Beautiful Outdoor Space
   

3. Burpee Seed and Plants has always been a standard resource. www.burpee.com
   

4. Another great resource for seeds, especially unique varieties of vegetables and flowers is Johnny's Selected Seeds. www.johnnyseeds.com
   

5. My go-to local nurseries include Family Tree Nursery, Suburban Lawn & Garden, and even my neighborhood Lowe's store.

   www.familytreenursery.com Suburban Lawn & Garden | For All your Lawn & Garden Needs Lawn & Garden at Lowe’s

As we count the days until that last frost date, please follow along as I put my 2026 garden plans together!