Donna Hessel is the author of our Gardening Sweet Spots blog and has been working in gardens for as long as she can remember, pulling weeds and planting beans and radishes in her grandfather’s garden. A recent move to a smaller home and very small garden restricted to “containers only” has presented gardening challenges as well as new opportunities. She enjoys the camaraderie and benefits of belonging to the Emerald Necklace Garden Club, which is open to new members and encourages guests to attend its monthly meetings. To learn more, go to emeraldnecklacegardenclub.org.