Every February, backyard bird lovers bundle up, grab binoculars, and step outside to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, a global citizen-science project led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Birds Canada. For four days, participants count the birds they see and help scientists track populations worldwide. If you’d love to see …

February can feel quiet in the garden, but it’s one of the most important months for birds. If you’re planning to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (February 13-16), you might assume hanging a feeder is enough. In reality, a few thoughtful adjustments to your garden can dramatically increase both the number and diversity …

Each February, people around the world spend four days observing birds and submitting their sightings as part of the Great Backyard Bird Count. These small acts of community observation help scientists understand migration patterns, shifting ranges, and population trends. As organizers explain, the event invites participants to “watch, learn about, count, and celebrate birds” while …

Each February, the Great Backyard Bird Count invites us outside to pause and notice who shares our outdoor space.  What seems like simple birdwatching quickly becomes something more revealing. For gardeners, it’s a snapshot of ecosystem health unfolding in real time. Why the Great Backyard Bird Count Matters for Gardeners The Great Backyard Bird Count …

February can be a strangely confusing month for warm-climate gardeners. Everything is growing, nothing looks urgent, and yet there’s a quiet sense that now matters more than it seems. In USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 11–13, which includes those folks lucky enough to be in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, select parts of Southern California, or the very …

February can feel deceptively warm in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7–10, but experienced gardeners know it’s a month that rewards patience. This is the time of year when enthusiasm often outpaces the weather, and when small missteps can quietly undo weeks of progress. In these warmer plant hardiness zones, February is the bridge between winter …

On this International Day of Women & Girls in Science, it’s worth asking a quieter question: what if girls aren’t losing interest in STEM — science, technology, engineering, and math — but simply losing access to ways that make it feel welcoming? Gardening offers one of those ways. Many families worry that STEM feels more …

Gardening as we know it today didn’t evolve by accident. Many of the practices that we take for granted, like organic methods, ecological planting, and even how we observe plants, were shaped by women whose scientific work throughout history quietly transformed our understanding of the natural world. Women scientists have been studying plant systems, soil …

February can feel like the most confusing month in the garden. A few warm days whisper spring, but one wrong move now can undo months of patience later. For USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4–6, February is the moment when slowing down actually sets you ahead. February Is for Planning, Not Pushing Across Zones 4–6, February …

February can feel like the longest month for gardeners in cold climates. The ground is frozen, snow is deep, and the arrival of seed catalogs makes it tempting to rush ahead. There aren’t many parts of the United States that are home to USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 1-3. However, areas of northern Minnesota, North Dakota, …