Winter Planning for Spring Planting

We still can't really get out into the garden but we can look at catalogs, order plants and seeds, read books and attend one of the dozens of gardening programs available right now.

P. Allen Smith's website and his television program on gardening are good ones. In his gardening email newsletter this week he recommended ways to think about planting borders and beds.

Consider contrasting plants next to each other such as ornamental grasses with Phlox
Look at leaf texture - put a fern next to a hosta
Consider leaf and flower color. Purple and orange are popular this year.
But if you prefer a more subtle look, put grey plants like dusty miller into the mix.
Allen says to use yellow sparingly. White flowers can soften a garden arrangement.
Always a good idea: Start your plan with one single color (red, blue, yellow) and work from there.