Hi GPODers!

For most Northern gardeners, our landscapes are just starting to wake up for the season. After winter dormancy, tiny bits of green are a glorious reward for getting through the coldest part of the year. But for gardeners throughout the Southwest, like Dawn Fountain in Surprise, Arizona, late winter and early spring are just another season of growth and glorious garden harvests. As we have seen in her previous submissions (Dawn’s Backyard Garden in Arizona, Dawn’s Garden in Arizona Battles Extreme Temperatures, Dawn’s Wonderful Winter Garden in Arizona, Indoor Growing in Arizona, Dawn Gets Ready for Fall in Arizonaand more), Dawn has sprinkled her desert landscape with some flowers and other ornamentals but predominantly focuses on edible plants. Today she is sharing an update on her garden’s latest harvest and the recognition she got for it at the county fair.

I planted my garden in February 2025, a little bit of everything. I thought I had pulled out the beets and radishes in time for Thanksgiving, but I missed a few. I knew when I saw them I had to enter the county fair in April 2026. When I did, I got two and a half 1-gallon ziplock bags of salad mix.

Dawn’s garden is small, but that doesn’t stop her from producing bountiful harvests. Simple raised beds and containers allow her to plant a wide variety of crops year-round in Arizona, including the parsley, basil, and peppers pictured here.

While too much shade is a detriment to any vegetable patch, it is also a vital component when you’re gardening in the blazing heat and sun of Arizona.

Look at the size of the beets and radishes I got!

I ended up turning in 11 things.

I won 10 first-place blue ribbons! (My mother-in-law says it should be a county fair record, LOL.)

I even got asked by my church to bring flowers for the Easter service.

HAPPY GARDENING time for me!

Thank you so much for sharing this fabulous garden update with us, Dawn, and congratulations on your incredible county fair success!

Even if you cannot enjoy the fruits of year-round kitchen gardening, seed-starting season is well under way and bountiful harvests are on the horizon. If you’re a dedicated veggie gardener, like Dawn, we would love to see highlights from last year’s crops or the seedlings you are nurturing right now. Follow the directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!

We want to see YOUR garden!

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form.

You can also send 5–10 photos to (email protected) along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Corona E-Grip Trowel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Handle Material: Aluminum. Handle Length: 14-1/2 in. Overall Length: 14.5 in. Head Material: Aluminum. Handle Color: Red.

New England Springport Arbor Trellis

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

The New England Springport Arbor brings classic style and smart function to any garden. Its flat-top design and crisp white vinyl finish create a clean, modern look—without the upkeep.

Perfect for small-space gardening, the half-lattice side panels support climbing plants like roses, clematis, or grapes, helping you grow vertically when ground space is limited.

Built-in eye hooks make it easy to hang flower baskets or garden décor, while the open top allows sunlight to filter through.

Whether used to frame a narrow path or define a cozy corner, this arbor adds structure, height, and charm to any small outdoor space.

Gardener’s Log Book from NYBG

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features:
· Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil
· Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds
· Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when
· Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening
· Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting
· Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.