Do you have a favorite season? For gardeners, summer is king. It’s the height of what we love to do. Flowers are blooming everywhere you look. The produce, fresh from the garden, is delicious. Abundant herbs provide flavor for meals and a lovely fragrance in the garden. The days are longer, giving us more time to enjoy it all. Ahhh, summer it’s the gardeners’s favorite season.

But for gardeners, what word truly expresses this season? Busy! Busy, Busy, Busy!!! It seems like we spend every spare minute in the garden during the summer. You’re out picking produce and flowers in the early morning hours. Weeding a flower bed after breakfast. Making a bouquet to give away before lunch. Pulling out old, spent plants in the afternoon. Preparing a batch of green beans to freeze before dinner. Running to the kitchen garden to grab some herbs for dinner. Watering plants in the cool of the evening.

When you grow a garden, summer is the most active time of year. Don’t you love it? It’s the fulfillment of all we’ve planned for and worked on for the year. While the days are long and oh so busy, take this time to revel in the glorious garden you have growing.

How to Make the Most of This Busy Season…

Don’t let the busyness of the season deter you from enjoying this time of year. Consider these 3 ways to enjoy the garden season to its fullest.

Assess Your Garden Plan

Hopefully, you started the gardening season with a plan. While our plans don’t always work out the way we had hoped, they’re a good starting point. Periodically check your garden plan to make sure you’re including everything you wanted to do this year.

However, it’s important to be flexible. When your plans aren’t working out, it’s okay to pivot and try something different. For example, we had a cold, wet spring which slowed down the garden growth. My dahlias are several weeks behind where they should be right now. So I’m creating bouquets using what’s available… black-eyed susans and daisies.

I would also suggest you spend a little time deciding if there are changes to your garden plan you should make. Adding something new to your plan or removing something is okay.

Here’s a change I’ve made in my summer garden plans. One of my goals was to grow all my container plants from seeds this year. I’ve had some successes and failures. One failure was my basket planter. Self-seeding alyssum took over the planter, and it crowded the other plants out. The planter was a mess. So I pulled it all out and replanted it with store-bought flowers.

Stay in the Moment

It’s easy when we’re busy working in the garden to do your actions by rote. Instead, focus on the task at hand. When picking produce, plan what you’re going to do with it. Should you cook it for dinner or preserve it for next winter? If dead-heading flowers, think about the new flowers that will grow and the bouquets you can make. When weeding, enjoy the feel of the dirt and be thankful for the ground to grow in.

The point is when you’re working in the garden, enjoy the process. Don’t always be rushing to do the next thing. Before long, the cool mornings will turn crisp. The warm sunny days will shorten. The seasons march on. So make the most of your days right now. Even weeding can hold a blessing when you’re spending time in your garden.

Your Garden Doesn’t Have to Look Perfect

We’re often swayed by beautiful magazine photos that paint the perfect garden scene. Every plant is at its most gorgeous. There are no dead spots in the lawn from the dogs. No struggling flowers, wilting plants or bug-eaten vegetables. No piles of plastic pots, dirty tools or messy side yards. Everything is perfect and in its place. My garden doesn’t look like that and I’ll bet yours doesn’t either.

Let go of the expectation that your garden will be a showplace. If that’s what you want, then you might need to hire someone to help. Because keeping the garden “perfect” is a full-time job. Instead, enjoy your garden with all its beauty and imperfections.

Have Some Fun This Summer…

The summer flies by with such a long to-do list and we rarely take time to just have fun. Make some time this summer to enjoy your garden. Don’t just work, work, work. Treat yourself to some activities that will bring joy to your life. Here are some outdoor activities to consider…

1. Pull out the outdoor games such as croquet, bocce ball and bean bag toss.
2. Set up the kiddie pool for the young ones and maybe even yourself. That cool water feels great on hot, tired feet.
3. Host an Ice Cream Party in your backyard for friends and neighbors.
4. Enjoy a picnic in your backyard.
5. Turn on all the outdoor twinkle lights, light your candles and enjoy the ambiance… even when you don’t have company coming.
6. Set up an outdoor crafting table and invite a few friends over for an afternoon of crafting.
7. Create a signature drink (with or without alcohol) to enjoy in the evening.

While we love the gardening activities, don’t forget why you’ve created your beautiful garden. It’s there to inspire, enjoy and share. So be sure to plan some non-working time for yourself in the garden.

Spend Time On Your Porch…

Summer is the best season to spend time on your porch. The mornings are warm enough to enjoy the early hours outside. And evenings are a perfect time to relax after a busy day in the garden. The trick is to make time to enjoy a brief respite each day in this busy season.

I do that by using porch time for something I might already be doing. For example, I always start my day with a quiet time… spending time in God’s Word and prayer. The porch is the perfect place to have the peace and quiet I need for time with God. If the afternoons aren’t too hot, I might use the porch to enjoy a good book and a glass of iced tea. In the early evening, my husband and I might visit for a while on the porch. I even use the porch for gardening chores such as sorting the potatoes and drying onions.

Here are a few ideas for making sure your porch is ready and waiting for a visit…

• 6 Tips for Decorating Your Porch
• How to Make a No Sew Oilcloth Bunting for Your Garden
• 5 Simple Crafts That Will Make Your Summer Porch Sparkle
• 10 Awesome Garden Decor Ideas That Will Delight You
• 5 Simple And Refreshing Drinks To Enjoy On Your Patio
• How to Make a Dried Sunflower Wreath… For the Birds
• How to Create a Cozy Garden Retreat
• Decorative Ideas for Creating a Summer Container Garden

I love to sit in the garden in the early morning with a cup of coffee and watch the pollinators at work. So many industrious creatures that are just as busy as we are. Despite all the activities that we need to do each day, one of them should be to take time to relax and just enjoy the beauty all around us.

Although you pack your days with garden chores, this busy season will be over before you know it. So take pleasure in all that you’re accomplishing. When you’re living life by the seasons, you know that summer will be an active, busy season. But isn’t this what gardening is all about? We’re growing beauty with flowers and delicious foods to eat. What could be better than that?

Happy Gardening this summer during your favorite BUSY garden season!