Fall Garden Dreams
Fall is the time when most gardeners are cleaning up their garden beds, working on their compost piles, and planting some last minute spring-blooming bulbs. I’d like to suggest that Fall is also a perfect time to start a garden journal. Whatever type of gardening you do – vegetables, herbs, flowers, landscaping – you can benefit from a garden journal.
There are many ways to approach keeping a garden journal – practical, philosophical, creative – or all of these. There are a variety of garden journals on the market, or you can use any type of notebook. I use a large sketchbook, and my approach is primarily practical with some random sketches, musings, and observations. If you prefer some structure, here are some websites with free printable garden journal pages:
The magical thing about starting your journal in the Fall is that you can still remember the Spring and Summer fairly well – including the work involved in weeding and watering. My Fall garden dreams tend to be much more realistic than the dreams I have at the end of bleak winter after looking at beautiful photos in seed catalogs! Also, in the Fall you likely still have some evidence (dead or alive) in the garden to prompt your memories. What did really well? What seemed to do better in the shadier/wetter/less crowded areas of your garden? Are there things you would like to plant more of next year? Were there plants that bloomed earlier/later than you expected? These notes will be immensely helpful in the Spring when this year’s garden is a distant memory!
A garden journal can contain lists, diagrams, photos, essays – anything you choose. And once you have started your garden journal, you have a place to keep notes on your garden (and garden dreams) all year long. You can note when you planted seeds, when there was a late freeze, what came up first in the garden, when the squash bugs began their attack. You can sketch out various garden plans over the winter and leisurely compare the pros and cons.
The library has many resources to help you see your garden dreams become a reality!
Upcoming events for gardeners at the library:
- Winterizing your Garden/Composting Thursday, October 9 7-8 PM
- Monarch Butterflies Monday, October 20 7-8:30 PM
- Growing Pumpkins for Food and Decoration Monday, November 10 7-8 PM
Here are some books to get you started with your garden dreams:
And here are some books to help you plan your garden:
And when you are at the library, be sure to visit our Monarch Waystation - and stop by the Lawn & Garden book display for tips about caring for your garden in the Fall and more books to help you with your garden dreams!
