Find your WHY in the garden
I’m not going to spend time here convincing you why it’s a good idea to have a garden. I figure if you made it to reading the blog on a gardening website, you’re already pretty sold on the idea.
What I do want you to do is to identify the underlying reasons that YOU want to garden. There are dozens of good ones, but which are motivating YOU? Knowing this will help you determine how to design your garden space, how big it should be, what you should grow, what kind of maintenance schedule will work best for you, and what skills you’ll want to focus on learning.
(“WHY” is one of the 5 questions that drive my garden planning process, for more details, check out this blog.)
I start the planning process with my clients by talking with them about their reasons for gardening. Often people have a hard time articulating it, or they think it’s obvious and the same for everyone. But actually, after asking this question dozens of times, you’d be surprised at the number of different answers I’ve heard.
Below is a list of the top reasons people give for wanting to have a garden. Which resonate the most with you?
Try to identify your Top 3 and keep them in mind as you move through your planning process. Let your reasons guide your decisions about what, how much, where, and when to plant. After each reason, I’ve listed a few considerations about how this WHY might affect your garden plan.
To eat more healthy food: Choose nutrient packed kale, beets, and broccoli. (But really, any home-grown fruit or veg is going to be good for you. Plant what you crave.) If growing organic produce is important to you, it’s easy to avoid chemicals in the home garden, but you’ll want to keep that top of mind when you are shopping for products and looking for pest solutions.
Feeding a group of people: Think about growing foods that everyone loves and foods that store well or can be preserved like potatoes, winter squash, green beans, or tomatoes for sauce. Consider adding cold weather covers so you can grow through more of the year. Maximize your space with lots of “cut and come again” plants like kale vs. “one and done” plants like cabbage.
Saving money: Some of the most expensive produce at the store (per ounce), herbs and greens, are the easiest to grow, so prioritize having those plants in your garden. Also focus on growing from seed which is much less expensive that buying starts. Learn about seed saving so you can buy one packet and keep growing that variety of plant for years. Cultivate patience. In gardening, money often saves you time, which do you have more of? You can buy larger plants that have already grown before they get to you. You can buy compost today, or make your own compost over the course of months. Think long term and start projects now to save money later in the garden.
Exploring your creativity: Just the act of putting seeds in the ground and watching them grow can feel creative, but also try having fun with your garden design. Create symmetry or rhythm with types of plants, size, shape, and color. Add flowers. Maybe you want some bold hardscaping and straight lines or soft curves and whimsy. Also consider the smells (lilacs?) and sounds (a bubbling birdbath?) that your garden will have which can also contribute to the overall feeling it evokes.
Spending time outside: If you love the fresh air and sunshine and want a reason to get outside, you might be ready for a larger garden that will require more time. Or maybe you’ll be up for growing some more challenging plants that require special attention. Don’t forget sunscreen or a big floppy hat!
Learning something new: Try growing multiple varieties of a plant to see how they differ in performance, taste, disease resistance etc. Or try different methods of support, pruning, watering, or fertilizing in different areas of your garden. Turn it into a lab and keep good notes. Indulge your desire for buying garden books and make visits to botanical gardens and other local horticulture centers. (P.S. It’s me!)
Spending time with kids, partners, or older folks: consider the height and spacing of the beds so that they are accessible to everyone who will work in the garden. Choose the plants that will intrigue them, and make sure kids’ favorites are planted where they can reach and tend to them themselves.
Connecting with nature, god, or something bigger: No matter what you grow, take time to pay attention and notice all the subtle changes in your plant’s life cycle. From seed to sprout to flower to fruit, there is something wondrous to witness every day in the garden. Growing flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds won’t hurt either. Build a compost pile so that you can see first hand how death is an essential part of the life cycle. Bonus: the more you pay attention to your plants, the better you will know their needs and the better you will tend to them.
Slowing down: Create a seating area near your plants so that sometimes you can just sit and enjoy their beauty and feel the satisfaction of what you and nature have created together. Add “take photos” to your regular garden task list as a reminder to get still and notice the interesting or new changes in your garden each week.
For exercise: Don’t shy away from the more physically demanding tasks like shoveling, weeding, turning compost, and planting bulbs. Your garden and your body will thank you.
Lessening environmental impact: Eating from your own garden space is already hyper-local and seasonal. Way to go! A few more ways you can use your garden to help the environment: Choose organic products from local suppliers and growers or share seeds and cuttings with friends and neighbors. Add different types of flowers to your garden to feed pollinators. Remove your food waste from the landfill by composting and returning the nutrients to your garden. Collect rain to water your plants.
Being more self-reliant: Incorporate the tips for “feeding a group” and “saving money.” Learning seed starting and investing in strong, quality, reusable tools and gear will keep you from needing to hit the garden center as often.
To be reminded of a loved one: Grow the loofa that your grandma grew or plant your dad’s favorite lima beans. Or maybe you have some hand-me down tools from a family gardener or seeds shared from a cousin in another state. Incorporate those plants and tools and think of your loved one each time you visit the garden.
Mental health benefits: Check out the comprehensive book on the the mental health benefits of gardening by Sue Stuart Smith, The Well Gardened Mind, for dozens of ways that gardening reduces anxiety and depression, heals trauma, encourages mindfulness, patience, and acceptance. Regardless of what kind of garden or plants you grow, you’ll receive these benefits. If mental health is your main goal, start small with your garden plan so you won’t get overwhelmed and turn the garden into just another item to-do on your list. And frequently remind yourself that what you’ve done is Good Enough!
If you have a reason for gardening that I didn’t list, I’d love to hear about it. And whether your reasons are discussed above or something else, just remember to keep them in mind as you plan out WHAT and HOW MUCH you want to grow. Revistit them in the middle and the end of the season to see if you are meeting your goals. Sometimes I can get disappointed by pests or lackluster harvests, but them I think about my WHYs (to learn something new, to connect to something bigger, to spend time outside) and I realize the bugs don’t keep me from getting what I want out of the the garden. They provide an opportunity to learn and experiment, my main reason for growing in the first place.
Now that you’ve got the WHY question answered, it’s time for you to identify WHAT and HOW MUCH. For guidance on that, click here.
If you want to talk through all the decisions with someone, schedule a garden planning consultation.
Let’s grow!
