The spring equinox is near. Late winter gives up its chilly grip. A reddish tint etches the skyline of maples along the roadways. Yellow jessamine blooms up high in the sunlit bare limbs of oak trees.

Winter has a way of making it seem like nothing is happening. Gardens sit still. Soil sleeps. Outdoor spaces look frozen, bare, and slightly judgmental. It's easy to assume this is the off-season. A ...