The Cool Guide to Cold-Climate Gardening

Hi!

We’re Chris and Matilda, two gardeners living and working in Sweden where sunlight is scarce for much of the year and things can get really chilly! Growing vegetables, herbs, berries and fruit trees in cold climates can be tricky. Seasons are short, the weather’s unpredictable, and the winters are freezing.

But we love a challenge!

Here on our website we’ve gathered 1000s of practical tips and inspirations from our own experiences and experiments to help you grow and enjoy thriving gardens, even in the chilliest corner of the world.

Our Latest Guides and Articles

• Sowing Your Seeds
  Indoors or outdoors: the simplest way to decide where to start seeds In cool, short-season climates, the main question is not “can this crop grow here?” but “will it have enough time?” In the table below we provide advice about… Read more: Sowing Your Seeds
• Gardening Activities Calendar 2026: A Cold-Climate Weekly Growing Calendar for Our Stockholm Garden
  This is a practical, week-by-week gardening calendar created specifically for our own home garden in Stockholm, Sweden, in a cool-temperate climate with a last expected frost around April 30. The calendar shows when we need to start different gardening activities… Read more: Gardening Activities Calendar 2026: A Cold-Climate Weekly Growing Calendar for Our Stockholm Garden
• Planting and Growing Stevia in Cold-Climate Gardens
  Stevia is a tender perennial plant known for its very sweet leaves, which you can use as a natural sugar substitute. In cold climates, stevia is more challenging to grow because it comes from warm regions and does not tolerate… Read more: Planting and Growing Stevia in Cold-Climate Gardens
• Planting and Growing Spring Onions in Cold-Climate Gardens
  Spring onions are one of the easiest and fastest crops you can grow in cool climates. You can grow them in garden beds, raised beds, or containers, even if you have very little space. They handle cool weather well and… Read more: Planting and Growing Spring Onions in Cold-Climate Gardens
• Planting and Growing Lavender in Cold-Climate Gardens
  Lavender is a small evergreen shrub with grey-green leaves and purple flowers that smell wonderful. You can grow lavender in cold climates if you give it lots of sun and very good drainage. The biggest challenge is not winter cold,… Read more: Planting and Growing Lavender in Cold-Climate Gardens