Lakeside Greenhouses

May is the month many gardeners wait for all year. The soil has warmed, the risk of hard frost has passed, and suddenly the garden feels open instead of tentative.

When people think about growing fruit at home, they often picture warm climates, long summers, and lots of space. But many fruiting plants are far more cold-tolerant—and adaptable—than expected. With the right varieties and placement, fruit growing is very possible here, even in gardens that experience cold winters and unpredictable spring weather.

While it’s tempting to hold off on planting until everything feels “safe,” many cool-season vegetables actually perform better when planted early. Starting with transplants instead of seeds gives these crops a strong head start, especially in unpredictable spring weather.

When most gardens are still waking up, pansies are already doing the work. These cheerful, cold-tolerant plants thrive in early spring temperatures, offering reliable color when little else is ready to perform. If you’ve ever wondered how pansies manage to look so good while nights still dip below freezing, the answer lies in how they’re built—and how we care for them.