As we look back on the past year at Fine GardeningI’m struck by just how much has grown—our content, our community, and the ways we support gardeners at every stage of their journey. This year was about deepening our roots while expanding our reach, and none of it would be possible without the curiosity, enthusiasm, and dedication of our members. Read on to learn about everything that happened online this year.

New Content for Our Online Members

In 2025, we published 445 online articlesdelivering trusted, practical, and inspiring gardening guidance throughout the year. Of those, 63 were region-specificoffering localized advice that acknowledges what gardeners know to be true: Where you garden matters. From climate considerations to plant selection, these pieces helped members make smarter decisions tailored to their own backyards.

Throughout the year, our members also showed us exactly what resonated most. Among the most popular articles published in 2025 were How to Grow Creeping Thyme, 4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yardand The Best Edging Tools for the Garden. These standout pieces reflect a shared desire for approachable, trustworthy advice—whether that means choosing resilient plants, tackling common garden challenges, or finding the right tools and inspiration for the season.

One of my favorite articles published this year was an investigative piece by Kaitlyn Hayes, Online Plant Poaching: The Growing Problem of Botanical Theft. In this article, Kaitlyn examines the issue of plant poaching, particularly within our nation’s national parks, and explains how it harms fragile ecosystems. She also offers guidance for plant buyers, outlining what to watch for to ensure rare plants are ethically and responsibly sourced. This article marks what I hope will be the beginning of a series that sheds light on the lesser seen but critically important issues unfolding behind the scenes in the gardening industry.

This year also saw the launch of a long-sought resource: the Hydrangea Growing Guide. This all-in-one collection joins our other guides, Gardening Basics, Growing Fruits and Veggies, Guide to Pruningand Container Gardening Guide, to bring together our best content on growing the garden of your dreams, including variety selection, care and maintenance advice, video tutorials, and more. It’s a perfect example of how we’re making it easier for members to find everything they need in one place.

Our print legacy continued to thrive online as well. We published all four of our print issues digitally, giving members access to more than 80 in-depth print articlesalong with exclusive extras designed to extend learning even further. These stories remain a cornerstone of Fine Gardening: thoughtful, beautifully crafted, and firmly rooted in real-world experience. You can see all of our issues onlineand members can read the entire issue online as a digital e-book, or as online articles published to the website—your choice! Just click each issue to view what’s inside.

Multimedia and Online Learning Opportunities

Video learning was another area of strong growth this year. We produced and published over 50 videos on our YouTube channelcovering everything from plant profiles and maintenance tutorials to in-depth classes. These visual resources bring gardening techniques to life and make expert instruction more accessible than ever.

The top-performing videos of the year—4 Ways to Remove Invasive Plants and A Naturalistic Garden Story—highlight members’ interest in both practical problem-solving and garden design that feels expressive, ecological, and personal.

One of our most exciting membership enhancements in 2025 was the addition of our full-length e-learning courses. Members now have access to our complete course librarylearning directly from respected experts such as Courtney Olander, Niki Jabbour, Richard Hawke, and Kelly D. Norris. This marks a significant step forward in our commitment to education, allowing members to dive deeply into specific topics at their own pace.

We brought fresh voices and timely conversations to our audience through 14 podcast episodes of Let’s Argue About Plants, connecting gardeners with unique plant varieties, experiences, and expertise they can enjoy wherever they are—whether in the garden, the car, or the greenhouse. On the audio side, our podcast continued to be a favorite way to learn and stay inspired. The most-listened episodes of the year, Episode 181: “Plants You Can’t Kill” and Episode 180: “Plants with Big, Bold Foliage,” underscore what gardeners value most: reliable plant choices, confidence-building guidance, and plants that deliver impact.

We also connected with members in real time through three live webinars focused on pests, growing conifersand clever approaches to spring bulbs. Led by educators and experts, these events offered practical insight, research-based advice, and meaningful interaction. Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to expand this effort, with a goal of hosting at least one live educational webinar each month. Topics already on the horizon include amending soil for the best garden possible, growing heirloom vegetables, gravel gardening, and more—all designed to keep members at the forefront of gardening knowledge.

Lastly, we’re announcing an improvement to Garden Photo of the Day submissions with the launch of a new online submission form. In addition to emailing photos, contributors can now upload images directly through the form, making it faster and easier to share high-quality photos and details without the technical hurdles of file links or multiple emails. That enthusiasm for sharing gardens was on full display in our most popular Garden Photo of the Day posts of the year: Not Your Ordinary White Flowers, A Buffalo-Style Gardenand Mary’s Ohio Garden—three very different spaces that captured readers’ imaginations and celebrated the diversity of gardens across the country.

I actually could go on, as there is even more that we did this year to give you everything you might need to be successful in the garden. But together, these highlights already reflect a year of meaningful growth, deeper learning, and stronger connections. Thank you for being part of the Fine Gardening community—we’re excited to keep growing with you in the year ahead.

Happy Winter, and may the new year bring peace and joy to you and yours,

Christine

Fine Gardening executive digital editor

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