March arrives with muddy boots and big ambitions. After months of watching the garden sleep under frost and snow, even the smallest signs of life feel like a celebration—the first brave shoots pushing through cold soil, birds reclaiming their morning chorus, seed packets spreading across the kitchen table. It’s the month of possibility, when gardeners begin balancing patience with excitement, stepping back outside with plans in hand and hope in every pocket, ready to coax another growing season to life.

At GreenPrints, we are embracing the mud, wishing on shamrocks, and welcoming the changing of the seasons. If you are looking to add some garden-grown protein to your life, check out The Backyard Protein Boom by Don Nicholas. He also shares some other great produce with us while discussing edamame, carrots, and blackberries. Bill Dugan embraces an early Spring vegetable in How Asparagus Got Its Reputation, sharing health benefits I was completely unaware of!

If you are looking to add some color and flavor to your life, read From Garden to Teacup: Growing Your Own Floral Teas by Amanda MacArthur. Are tea gardens a thing? If not, they should be! If you are just starting to plan a floral—or any other type of—garden, check out Beginner’s Guide to Gardening by Ellyn Siegel. Does the boyfriend plant exist? Sounds kind of perfect to me.

While we are all busy planning our gardens for the year, let’s not forget that Size Matters. In this adorable piece by Becky Rupp, explore the size of different seeds. But let’s remember, as Spring arrives, it is not all sunshine and warm weather. Sometimes we are Playing with Frost. Are you conservative or a daredevil in the dirt like Pat Stone?

March also heralds St. Patrick’s Day and all the traditional fun that comes with it. Hannah Dougherty Campbell had me laughing out loud as she was Smuggling a Piece of Ireland. I can’t say that I’ve never been tempted to try something similar! Join us on a whimsical adventure in The Lady Leprechaun and the Farmer, where we celebrate the magic of the land. This is a love story that is all about choosing roots over rainbows.

Our Bountiful Root StoryBook is a collection of stories all about the nature of farming and gardening in America. Author Don Nicholas is filled with a deep sense of connection to the land that has been part of his family’s history for generations. Like most Americans, his ancestors were farmers, and their livelihoods were intricately woven with the rhythms of the earth. From the earliest Nicholas to set foot on American soil in 1764 to the farmers who tilled the land until the late 1800s, they all shared a common bond—their love for the soil, their dedication to feeding their families and communities, and their unwavering connection to the land. Gardening is not just about cultivating plants; it’s about cultivating connections—with the earth, with our heritage, and with each other.

We head back across the pond for our Garden-to-Table Recipe Collection, which focuses on everything Irish. From smoked salmon and Irish soda bread to sticky toffee pudding, we have you covered. The Irish are known for their warm hospitality, hearty meals, and a knack for turning even the simplest ingredients into culinary magic. With this collection, we invite you on a flavorful journey that combines the rustic charm of Irish traditions with a garden-to-table twist.

And yet, March reminds us that gardening is as much about patience as it is about action. Some days still bite with Winter’s chill, and not every plan can be planted just yet. But each small step—starting seeds, turning compost, sketching bed layouts—brings the season closer. Soon enough, the garden will burst into motion, but for now, we savor these hopeful beginnings, knowing that every thriving Summer garden starts with these quiet, muddy, promise-filled days of March. ❖

Christy Page
Executive Editor
GreenPrints

P.S. Please email Christy Page with your feedback. We look forward to hearing from you. Or just post your comments about this issue below, to share with the entire GreenPrints community.