
Gorgeous Garden in Oregon
Phil Thornburg of Tigard, Oregon, transformed a plain, 1/3-acre yard into a gardener’s dream oasis. He took his time, stuck to a budget and gradually landscaped the property over a 10-year period. Here are his top planning tips for garden design.

New Varieties for 2013
We’ve already tempted you with some of 2013’s best new plants in the January/February 2013 issue of Gardening How-To. Now, prepare to swoon over 21 more new introductions!

Up Close
The plant featured in UpClose this issue (January/February 2013, pg. 52) is Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus). Its alluring purple hue is a delightful diversion indoors when it’s grown as a houseplant or outdoors as an annual. If you live in warmer climates (Zones 9 to 11), it can perform like a perennial or even stay evergreen. Grow it in full sun in cooler regions and partial shade in hotter climates. It prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil and grows up to 3 feet tall, but it can be pinched back for bushier growth. By Sarah Dorison; Photo by Tracy Walsh

Win a Trip to Test Tools & Gardening Equipment in Las Vegas
You could be one of two National Home Gardening Club members to be named Top Tool Testers and earn an expense-paid trip to the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas from May 6 through 9, 2013. You’ll test cutting-edge tools, offer feedback to the companies that make them, and meet like-minded individuals—all while seeing the sights along the world-famous Strip!
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