Making a garden plan is one of those activities that most gardeners know they should do, whether it’s informally on a scrap piece of paper or formal computer designs, but as with many preparatory tasks, a garden plan can easily be put off and never done. I often procrastinate on the planning phase and usually just end up winging it, but this year my time and ability to garden are constrained. As a result, I find myself feeling a bit lost on how I want to approach the coming gardening season. In order to apply some form of organization, I am going to get more proactive with making plans this year.
One way that I like to find motivation is to remind myself of the benefits I can get from something. Getting an early start on planning what I want to do in the garden this year will allow me to play around with and develop different ideas before having to commit.
Having a small amount of time to change my mind will help me avoid wasting time and money in the garden. Another benefit of winter planning for spring is getting a good idea of what new plants to introduce, which will allow for time to order and receive seeds before the planting times begin. This way, there is less risk of compromising with using what is carried at local stores, which can be limited.
Another motivating factor to get plans settled is so that I can get things done right and how I want them early in the gardening season so that I can spend more time enjoying the flowers and natural abundance rather than doing extra garden work that could have been avoided.
While there are definite rewards to creating a garden plan, there are also pitfalls to watch out for. One of those is creating overly ambitious plans. It is a good idea to introduce reality checks throughout the planning process.
It’s good to aim big and stretch one’s comfort zone, but not so big that failure and disappointment are guaranteed. The one challenge that affects me the most is overthinking. Getting an early start on planning can allow too much overthinking, frequent minor adjustments, and doubts to creep in. If this starts occurring, I find that it is best to put the plans away for a few days and do something completely different, then come back with a fresh perspective.
And of course, another thing to watch out for when creating a garden plan is putting it away when it is finished and then forgetting all about it when it comes time to break ground in the spring. It helps to put it somewhere prominent where it can be remembered and also used for inspiration throughout the winter.
Planning things out can be tedious and time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. When it comes to the garden, making a plan can be a place where creativity flows and inspiration is developed. This can be achieved with simple or complex plans. I encourage you to give it a try, whether it is a potted balcony garden or a large show garden. Putting ideas into writing and drawing them out now will lead to better success in the coming garden season.
The Heron and Rose 