Curiosity about the origins of a beloved digital tradition recently sent members of the Fine Gardening editorial team deep into the historical archives. Turning back the clock to January 2010, editors set out to discover what the publication’s daily digital feature, Garden Photo of the Day (GPOD), looked like at its inception and how its initial aesthetic compares to the multi-image galleries shared with readers today.
Launched over a decade and a half ago under the direction of former editor Michelle Gervais, GPOD began as a literal interpretation of its name. In its earliest days, the feature delivered precisely one carefully curated garden photograph every weekday. Each snapshot was accompanied by a concise, evocative caption or a brief story highlighting a remarkable landscape, a spectacular specimen, an innovative plant combination, or another notable horticultural subject.
While modern editions of GPOD regularly feature up to ten distinct photographs in a single post to provide a comprehensive look at a private estate or public park, the archival deep-dive inspired a unique retrospective. Editors decided to pull together the first ten images that ever launched the feature, recreating a digital time capsule that showcases where the journey began.
The historical retrospective opens with the very first image ever published for the series: a lush, sophisticated garden in Oakland, California, designed by landscape professionals Tom Nelson and Randy Bolin. Captured through the lens of Michelle Gervais, the debut photo set a high standard for the daily feature, establishing a visual standard centered on professional design, rich textures, and thoughtful plant selections.
Moving chronologically through the early days of the archive, the feature highlights a private courtyard tucked away in Charleston, South Carolina. Described by editors as a cool oasis in the middle of town, this historic space successfully merges casual elements with formal structure, proving that timeless design principles can be adapted to smaller urban footprints with the right tools and patience.
The exploration of early hardscape and color philosophy continues with a look at how non-floral elements can transform a landscape. One memorable archival entry spotlighted a vibrant collection of bright, whimsical outdoor chairs set amidst a perennial garden, demonstrating that structural elements and bold furnishings can introduce a powerful visual pop long before flowers emerge or after they fade.
The archives also served to spotlight individual standout plants that captured the imagination of gardeners nationwide during the early months of 2010. Among them is the flamboyant tender perennial Cuphea llavea ‘Flamenco Samba’, commonly known as bat-faced cuphea. Thriving in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 through 12, this striking plant quickly established itself as a summer container star, celebrated for its unique blooms and rich purple foliage.
Returning to the Oakland garden designed by Tom Nelson and Randy Bolin, another early GPOD entry focused on the power of creative garden vignettes. The featured composition relied on more than just living plants, incorporating earthenware pots and a coordinating metal panel in harmonious hues. Textural plantings and whimsical hidden details, such as a partially obscured face sculpture, demonstrated how small artistic touches can elevate a simple corner into a captivating focal point.
Demonstrating resourcefulness in landscape management, another archival post addressed the inevitable loss of a mature tree or shrub. Rather than immediately removing a dead specimen, horticulturists at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson, Tennessee, experimented with coating a deceased tree in vibrant paint. The result was a dramatic, colorful focal point that extended the structural utility of the plant for an extra season or two.
Herb gardens and container design also found a prominent place in the early digital pages of Fine Gardening. A notable snapshot from the herb garden at the Toledo Botanical Garden in Toledo, Ohio, captured a charming combination of variegated society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea ‘Variegata’, Zones 7–10) and purple garden sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’, Zones 4–10), proving that culinary and aromatic plants can hold their own in decorative arrangements.
Public horticulture made significant appearances in the foundational weeks of GPOD as well. A serene view from Chanticleer, a renowned public garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania, illustrated the architectural power of reflection in landscape design. By utilizing a still body of water, the garden layout effectively doubled its visual impact, mirroring the sky, surrounding structures, and perennial plantings in a dynamic view that shifts continuously for visitors traversing the grounds.
On the West Coast, a snapshot taken within San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park introduced readers to the architectural and prehistoric-looking giant horsetail (Equisetum giganteum, Zones 8–10). Native to Central and South America, this moisture-loving plant features jointed green stems and stacked whorls of branchlets that evoke images of ancient landscapes, though editors noted its vigorous spreading habit requires careful containment in warmer climates.
Rounding out the retrospective of the first ten posts is a delicate vine combination from Wilmington, Delaware. Designed by Eve Thyrum, the vignette pairs contrasting clematis varieties for an intricate display of form and color, complemented by iridescent floating garden ornaments that harmonize with and reflect the surrounding blooms.
Reflecting on the evolution from a single daily image to today’s expansive galleries, the Fine Gardening team opened the floor to readers to share their preferences between the historical single-photo format and contemporary multi-image spreads.
Beyond looking backward into the archives, the publication continues its ongoing mission to celebrate contemporary horticulture by inviting readers to submit their own landscapes, plant collections, and garden visits for consideration in future editions of Garden Photo of the Day. Enthusiasts are encouraged to share their gardening stories, histories, successes, and lessons learned alongside their photography.
The retrospective concludes with a spotlight on curated gardening resources, including award-winning literature on regenerative landscape design, durable corten steel planters designed for year-round utility, and innovative cultivation tools tailored for modern growers.
