On one of the first warm days of spring, put on your inspector’s hat and head out to the garden. It’s time to see what happened in the garden while you were indoors all winter. Take note of:

Cold, ice or snow damage on plants
Beds that will need to be cleaned out
Hardscaping elements—walls, fences, benches, sheds, trellises—that have shifted, bowed or rotted

It pays to think through your garden project. The last thing you want is to have your garden feel like a chore rather than a source of inspiration and relaxation. But do remember that some plants wake up late and should be left alone until the second week of May to determine if they faired the winter well or not.