Many of us in Arizona consider spring to be the best of all possible seasons. Growing up in Colorado, I would plod through the winters in scratchy sweaters and a surly mood and wait for the day I would glimpse signs of life in the frozen terrain. Hyacinths, tulips and daffodils poking their heads up through the snow would fill me with hope and relief that the colder months were on their way out (and good riddance to them). Once the irises made themselves known, it was time to break out the shorts and T-shirts and allow my spindly legs to get some sun.

Here in the Valley, the formula is somewhat reversed. Spring is the most glorious time we have. The delicate scent of citrus fills the air, orange and yellow poppies blanket the landscape and color abounds. We open our doors and windows and get our hands in the earth, refreshing garden beds, pots and outdoor planters. Here, we relish this interlude before the inevitable heat drives us inside for the summer.

This year, especially, spring holds sweet promise as we tentatively take our baby steps out of the pandemic that has gripped us for the entirety of the last 12 months. This is a time to celebrate on many levels.

Get out there. Revel in the splendor of springtime in the Sonoran Desert. Breathe deep, shake off dust and inanition of the past year. Visit your local nursery or garden center and feast your eyes on the kaleidoscope of color. Bring some home and renew your love of Mother Nature.

In the spirit of the season, we invite you to join us for the 2021 Phoenix Home & Garden annual Garden Tour on Saturday, April 17. Spend the day strolling through some of the Valley’s most breathtaking landscapes and meet the professionals who made them happen. We can promise you’ll be inspired. For more information visit phgmag.com/gardentour.

John Roark
Editor in Chief