Sarah Smiles: The Great Garden Debate

Photo Above: Jane Magnolia Bud

It’s late January as I sit down to write this letter, and I can already feel the mental tug-of-war creeping in.

Will I decide to have a garden again this year? If so, will I stick with the in-ground variety, or do I swear, once more, that raised beds are the answer — neater, more manageable, surely more productive this time around? Do I take a risk and start veggie plants from seed, or do I admit defeat early and plan a trip to a local garden center for sturdy young plants that already look like they know what they’re doing? 

These questions come up every year as winter starts to loosen its grip. 

Living in a rural area in Southwest Virginia means I’m lucky to experience the slow but steady shift from winter to spring up close. Of all the plants on our almost two acres of land, it’s the Jane magnolia that’s always the first to sprout fresh buds. The trees lining the back roads I drive almost daily leaf out, bit by bit. New growth in the mountains feels less like a big moment and more like a progression, which is part of what makes spring here so easy to appreciate.

As much as I want to kid myself, I know how this internal debate will end. I will, inevitably, have a garden. It will most likely be in the ground, because I trust the earth more than wood frames. I will walk into my favorite garden center with a thoughtfully planned list and walk out with at least one impulse buy. (Last year’s was a kiwi plant grown in Riner, Virginia, a tiny town just five minutes down the road from my house.)

And I will grow more than just what my family loves to eat. There will be tomatoes, solely because my neighbors love them. There will be something wildly prolific (who wants to bet it’ll be the yellow squash again this year?), because there always is. And when summer reaches its peak and the garden is overflowing, I’ll set up the makeshift pay-what-you-can produce stand at the entrance of the subdivision to share the bounty.

From new state parks and revitalized landscapes to initiatives supporting a more sustainable future, our spring issue celebrates everything green — and the renewal that so often comes with it. I hope the stories inside inspire you to get outside, soak up some sunshine and enjoy the aspects of the season that bring you joy. 

The story above first appeared in our March / April 2026 issue.