Sight-Searing
Dave DiBenedetto, editor in chief
I love my full-size Blackstone griddle so much that I’m now eyeing the company’s portable, seventeen-inch tabletop griddle ($120) for tailgates, car camping, and duck camp. From breakfast to sliced marinated flank steak, I’m still amazed at the versatility of these griddles when it comes to making a jam-up meal outside.
Into the Wood
Amanda Heckert, executive editor
Why in the world I picked an ugly brown plastic outdoor storage box for my potting supplies, seat cushions, and boogie boards is beyond me. Nearly a decade later, I’m in desperate need of an un-unsightly replacement and have my eye on a handsome acacia-wood container from Cucunu ($180).
Climbing Ambitions
Gabriela Gomez-Misserian, digital producer
Last summer, I brought home my first rose—an iconic, hardy Peggy Martin. While it still has more time left to develop blooms, I’ve been amazed while watching how fast the beautiful evergreen vines wrap around my willow stakes. After moving to a new garden, I’m hoping to level up the old sticks with this pretty Gardener’s Supply Company obelisk ($123).
Rinse and Repeat
Emily Daily, newsletter editor
As avid beachgoers, my family constantly tracks sand into our home entryways. This lightweight, kink-free Pocket Hose ($40) is perfect for spraying off dirty feet (and paws!) beforehand—plus, it’s just the right size to reach all the flower pots in our tiny backyard.
Grab and Grow
Haskell Harris, style director
I start zinnias and cosmos in biodegradable cells such as these from QDBNW ($14 for 240) every March with my little boy. It’s a tradition that yields a summer full of cut-and-come-again blooms. The best part (in addition to watching a child’s wonder at flowers sprouting) is that these cells can go directly into the ground, zero plastics in sight.
Signs of Spring
Caroline Sanders Clements, associate editor
Even though the winter doldrums of the South Carolina Lowcountry are much less severe than in most climes, I still get a spark of joy when I see my neighborhood begin to come alive at the first signs of spring. And since nothing says winter is over like bright daffodils, these bulbs from Tennessee’s Daylily Nursery ($56 for a hundred) feel like the perfect addition to my springtime garden.
Treasure Hunting
CJ Lotz Diego, senior editor
Serious gardeners know a metal detector can be a useful tool to check for nails and rusty debris before planting seeds or tucking roots into soil.…But who am I kidding? I wanna hunt for buried treasure! I’ve worn out a basic metal detector that’s been fun around my downtown Charleston yard, but I’m ready to take this Minelab bad boy ($924) along the historic coastlines of the South. Old coins! Lost jewelry! Blackbeard’s booty!
Bluebird Days
Lindsey Liles, digital reporter
Come March, eastern bluebirds are on the hunt for the perfect nesting site, and this cedar bluebird box from Nature’s Way ($30) is just the way to attract them—and keep them coming back. Clever vents keep the air flowing, an extra guard protects from predators, and little slits in the wood help baby birds climb out when it’s time to fledge.
Bee Friendly
Dave Mezz, deputy editor
I’ll admit my gardening skills are rudimentary at best, but even I should be able to handle these wildflower seed packets from the Old Farmer’s Almanac ($6). I have a funky little patch of land next to my garage that’s a perfect spot for a pollinator pocket, and spreading some of these and giving it a little love seems like a pretty easy way to bring some color and hopefully help out the local bees and butterflies.
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