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How Are You Celebrating National Garden Month?

April is National Garden Month, which, of course, coincides with the arrival of spring! However, the month-long celebration is more than about celebrating flowers and trees that are in bloom once again; it emphasizes the mental and physical benefits gardening can have on us all. 

Not only does gardening bring you outside and into the fresh air, but it also allows you to connect with and cultivate the earth directly. If you're looking for gardening tips and ideas, there's no better place to visit than our network site, DenGarden!

With what feels like an endless amount of articles on all kinds of niche gardening topics and questions you might have, as well as features like Ask an Expert, the chances you'll find the answers you're looking for are high. 

If you're just diving into the hobby of gardening, here are some great articles to get you started:

• What Temperature Do Your Seedlings Really Need?
• A List of Flower Names From A to Z
• Top 10 Easy Perennial Plants to Grow From Seed
• Preserving Your Garden Seeds for Years to Come

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Avoiding Too Much Content

As much as using the different components available for an article (polls, maps, callouts, etc.) can enhance it, you don't want to add too many that the reader's experience is diminished. When writing and building out your piece, consider what you'd want to come across as the reader before using the elements just because they are available. 

Here are some things to think about: 

• Polls should be used to gauge readers' opinions on the article. Make sure they ask worthwhile questions, and there aren't so many polls that it begins to feel like the reader is being asked about every topic. If the question isn't something you actually need to know or care about, it probably doesn't need to be asked!
• You can add several locations to each map capsule, so don't insert a new one whenever a location is mentioned. It often helps to see places in relation to one another rather than separately, anyway. 
• Callouts can be very effective, but only when the information is actually worth highlighting. Consider whether the information was just stated (and if it needs to be restated) and how worthwhile it is to highlight. Perhaps it's better just to discuss it in a regular text capsule. And remember, there's the option for a quote-specific callout!
• Too many images and videos next to one another can feel arduous to get through. If you have a lot of media, make sure there's still enough text to break the capsules up.

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Featured Articles of the Week

From identifying how old the historic tool the thimble really is to going nude in an effort to offset textile waste—these are our featured articles of the week! Thank you for all the great contributions! 

• LetterPile: Spilt Coffee by  Tracie Sanders
• HobbyLark: Collectible Thimbles: History and How to Identify Antiques by  Carol Fisher
• Holidappy: 25 Beautiful Love Quotes for Seniors and Elderly Couples by  Chitrangada Sharan
• Soapboxie: Let’s Get Naked and Save the Planet! by  Melodie Langevin
• The CrimeWire: Branson Perry: Mysterious Small-Town Disappearance in Missouri by  Kym L. Pasqualini