Every year as we count down to the new year I like to take time to think about the past year. As I sit in front of my fire and finally enjoy some downtime, I’m reflecting on last year’s garden. And I’m thinking about the garden year to come. You should spend some time thinking about your new year in the garden as well.

This past year was a busy time at Pinecone Cottage Retreat. We finished the Kitchen Garden. We hosted a backyard baby shower for our daughter in June. And we accomplished these goals despite our “long” winter…the two foot of snow that lasted through March. Which put us behind with our gardening plans.

I’m sure you had your own list of goals this past year as well. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or new at gardening, it’s important to look back at your accomplishments to help you remember how far you’ve come. There’s always something new to do in the garden and if you never take time to truly appreciate what you’ve accomplished, you might get discouraged.

Ask yourself these questions …

• What was your favorite activity in the garden this year?
• Did you grow any new flowers or vegetables?
• What was one big problem in your garden that you need to work on?
• How did you use your garden areas?
• Did you do any entertaining in your garden?
• Can you find more opportunities to share your garden with others?
• Do you have a favorite memory from your garden this year?

As you reflect on last year’s garden, don’t forget about the wonderful benefits it provided…

1. The garden helped to put food on your table.
2. The bouquets of flowers you created filled your home with beauty.
3. All that digging, planting and lifting helped keep you healthy.

Now as we end one year and move forward into the next, we begin to focus on the new garden season that’s ahead. We have new projects we want to accomplish, new gardening goals to achieve and new plants we want to grow. Gardeners are truly some of the most positive and hopeful people I know.

Take time now to create plans for your new garden. Winter is the slow season that gives us the opportunity to relax and dream. To dream about all that we can accomplish this next year. Follow these steps to setting and achieving your goals in the garden this upcoming growing season.

Steps To Plan Your New Year In The Garden…

Step 1:

Start by determining what your goals are for the year. Reflect on what needs to be done in your garden. Are there any major projects you need to accomplish? Is there a new garden area that you want to create? Do you just hope to get more done overall? It’s your garden and the goals you set, large or small are for you to decide.

As you think about what you want to achieve this coming year, don’t overdo it. We have a tendency to create long lists of projects and goals that we’ll never be able to complete. Just choose a few goals. Maybe one major project and two or three smaller tasks. If you complete these you can always add in additional goals. But a long list can be overwhelming which might lead you to accomplish nothing.

TIP: Write your garden goals down so you can track whether you accomplished them.

Step 2:

Next, break down your goals into various tasks that will need to be completed. If you want to create a new flower bed, for example, you will need to determine where to put it. Then you will need to measure the site. Your next step will be to clear out the grass or debris, create some borders, amend the soil, etc. You will need to decide what flowers to plant in your new bed.

Multiple steps will be needed to accomplish your goal. So for each goal, list the actual steps you’ll need to take to complete that goal.

TIP: List each step you need to take to accomplish your goals.

Step 3:

Finally, schedule the tasks into your calendar so that you will be reminded of each of the activities you need to do monthly. In order to accomplish your garden goals, you need to actively work towards that end.

Often we don’t accomplish our goals because we don’t plan for them. If your goal is to have more flowers this year, you can’t just hope for it. You need an action plan to help you follow through. So list each step that you need to take for success.

Following these 3 steps can help you achieve your goals in the garden this coming year.

TIP: Schedule the individual steps into your calendar to be reminded of what you want to complete each month.

A Few Garden Goals for Pinecone Cottage Retreat…

I follow these three steps every year to plan my activities and to help me follow through. As a gardener, you’ve probably figured out that a garden is never finished. It’s a labor of love that we can enjoy for all of our lives. But you should still set specific goals each year for your garden. This will make your gardening so much more effective and enjoyable.

Here are some specific goals that I have for Pinecone Cottage Retreat this year:

• Put up a picket fence around the Kitchen Garden.
• Revamp the watering system for the cutting garden.
• Move the potting bench closer to the Kitchen Garden.
• Use my garden to celebrate the people that are important to me.

A garden isn’t just about what you grow. It’s about how you use those spaces to beautify your life and to share with others. So one of my goals this year is to use my garden to help benefit others as well.

Doing good to those around us can come in a variety of ways. Maybe it’s growing a bumper crop of tomatoes so that you can preserve them to give away or to cook welcoming meals. Or perhaps you use much of your cutting garden flowers in bouquets you give to your friends and family. And your neighbors can enjoy the beauty of your garden as they walk by. There are so many ways to share the blessings of your garden.

Start Off The New Year In The Garden With Goals…

Spend time during this quiet season planning your garden goals. All you need are a few moments to review and plan.

As we move into the new year my hope for you is that you’ll be able to enjoy the gardening process. From the dreaming and planning stage to the planting, growing and harvesting stage. Even the garden cleanup at the end of the season can provide joy in your life. The whole process is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow as a gardener. And it can be an amazing year!

One way to keep your garden growing is to track your goals. You will be more likely to follow through if you write them down. Take those goals and break them down into monthly bite-sized pieces. Then create a schedule to help you follow through. You can use my Annual Garden Planner and Calendar to help you track those goals.

From my Garden Shed to yours…Happy New Year!!!!