As the temperature has cooled, and I find myself with a break in my busy work schedule, I have been contemplating what I can accomplish during the winter in my garden. Now we recently moved and this is the first time I have had a place to try my hand at gardening.
Gardening has been something that I grew up seeing as a child. My mother has created a lovely garden and I occasionally got to learn from her. I took for granted having a blossoming garden because she always made it look so effortless. And I really did not know what a wealth of knowledge she had until I had my own gardens.
10 days after we moved into our house, I gave birth to our second child, our baby boy. I was exhausted and overwhelmed with a toddler at home in those early days. I was very grateful that my mom came to help me out. During the few spare moments we had during naps, my mom and I went out into the gardens to evaluate and plan. She helped me to identify a trove of plants and to determine how to best manage what was already in place. We spent hours weeding and planting together. It brought me peace during an exhausting time.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com
Now winter is here and I am missing those summer days. I have been researching tasks that I can accomplish in the cool weather. This is the list so far:
Planting plan: My garden is in its infancy. There are some lovely elements, like a raised bed area and a rain garden but there are lots of areas where I would like to make some modifications. I have been watching my garden and trying to determine how much shade/sun different areas get to understand what I can possibly plant in the future. Some of this will be trial and error but it is nice to start drawing the beds and strategizing how to plant out the space. It is important to consider not only the light but also the soil conditions, pH, and presence of animals (especially the deer!). Also, it is important to keep track of perennials/annuals that may return each year or will need to be replaced.
Hardscaping/Landscaping: This may or may not be part of many peoples’ plans. However, we have been having a good deal of drainage issues with our property and have been researching how to solve it. It seems that we may need something that is beyond a simple fix and now are working with a landscape design team to construct a French drain system. In addition to this, we would like to expand or potentially renovate the raised bed area and think about adding a pool in a few years. Even if you are not planning to start work right away, the time to have consultations with these professionals is now. Landscape architects and landscape designers begin booking their spring and summer projects in the winter. Otherwise, you may be on a waiting list or have to wait another season to have your work done.
Order seeds/tools for the spring: After you have a game plan for all of the projects you anticipate, now is a good time to order plants. I found out the importance of timing this past year for ordering plants the hard way. I wanted to add some gorgeous peonies from a certain farm when it was time to plant in the fall. However, virtually all of the varieties had sold out well in advance. I was able to add myself to their email list serve in order to avoid missing out next year! Also, if there are any big ticket tools you are looking for- you may be able to find them on sale.
Trim borders and Prune trees: Just because it is not spring, doesn’t mean your lawn can’t look tidy. Before the first snow, it is helpful to clean up your overall space. Get everything ready for fresh growth in the spring.
Clean porches and patios: If the weather permits, now is a good time to sweep and clean your deck.
Plant a tree for the new year: I came across this idea when I was doing some reading about winter planting. I think it is a wonderful idea and inspirational in a time where so many areas of nature have already been destroyed. It is important to me that what we do is ecologically thoughtful and continues to support the local natural habitat.
Those were all the tasks I have on my list so far- Happy Gardening!
