Swallowtail butterfly on asclepias tuberosa

As January comes to an end, I find my mind turning more and more to the garden. And to planning. This process begins with reviewing all of last year’s garden photos for inspiration.

In the dead of winter, this practice never fails to lift my heart and get my head spinning with dreams of even more plants. Better plants. Plants that will feed my addictions. Let the list making begin!

focus on the desired goal

In the coming months, I will share more of my lists with you, i.e., ‘best plants for pollinators’, ‘best plants for sun’, etc. While those lists have inherent value, it’s important to begin with the end point in mind. And, to me, that end point, that ‘thing’ I strive for in the garden, is Wonder. It’s a symphonic celebration of the life and the co-habitation of magical, mysterious creatures that call my garden ‘Home’.

how it begins

Even the smallest garden can deliver a magical experience, if we begin planning from the ground up. This means literally starting with the soil. Respect for the soil ~ and the billions of micro-organisms within ~ is essential to creating a truly wonderous garden filled with not only color and texture, but also with sound, movement and life.

Nurture your soil

And you will be rewarded with a healthy, life-giving, glorious garden. It’s not hard to do.

Avoid synthetic fertilizers and pesticides (of all kinds) to encourage a biodiverse environment that will achieve its own balance.
Let leaves decay naturally into the soil to improve soil structure as they are broken down by beneficial bacteria and fungi.
Use slow release organic fertilizers which offer a balanced diet of macro and micro nutrients, helping plants to grow at the ‘right’ pace.
Enhance poor, thin soil with organic amendments (check out Coast of Maine products available at Nashua Farmers’ Exchange in Nashua).
Minimize disruption of soil. Beneficial fungi and insects are carrying on important work beneath the soil surface that helps support plant health. Needlessly digging and turning up the soil disrupts their ‘work’ and the soil structure. It also exposes buried weed seeds to sunlight where they can thrive and become a problem.
Tread carefully in the garden. Avoid compacting the soil around and between plants which compromises soil structure and can damage plant root systems.
Mulch with chopped leaves or heavily aged bark and compost (not the red stuff, please) to suppress weeds and to conserve water.
Let insects flourish as they will help you establish a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem that feeds not only the soil, but birds and mammals too.

the reward

Nurturing your soil will pay dividends and set the stage for a truly wondrous garden that is healthy, alive and more bountiful than ever. Check out the video here to see what my vision of Wonder looks like. Learn how to attract hummingbirds to your garden this year!

Next month we’ll look more closely at plant combinations that are beautiful, easy care, and life sustaining for our native birds, bees and beneficial insects. Meanwhile, start imagining what garden Wonder means to you!

january’s small business focus

I recently discovered this fabulous online store India and Purry.

India & Purry is a collection of decorative pieces for the home by Brooklyn artist Jessica Hollander. Jessica is a visual artist with a deep reverence for nature and its nuanced beauty. The collection is derived from her oil paintings, using small sections of larger canvases. She considers each of the paintings to be portraits, studying and celebrating the unique intricacies of specific trees and flowers and using this dialogue to transmit the peaceful, healing energy of nature. The resulting designs bring the charm of the outdoors inside to counter the plasticity of modern living and elevate the home.

Please check out her gorgeous website and consider supporting her small business. I ordered some of her tea towels and they are simply gorgeous. I’ve got my eye on these trivets at right. Find beautiful gifts for yourself and for others ~ See more here!

sharing is fun!

I had an idea that I think could be fun and helpful to all . I would love to have you all share your garden experiences, thoughts and dreams, your successes and failures ~ reflections on what your garden means for you and your family. So, please send me photos of your garden and anything you want to say about them. I will include them in next month’s newsletter!

Thanks for reading,

~ Barb

Truly Wondrous Gardens Begin Here