To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow — Audrey Hepburn
Gardens bring joy, beauty, and a purpose to our lives. They stir our senses: the sight of colorful tulips swaying in the breeze; the quiet hum of bees foraging for pollen; the fragrant smell of lilacs; the sweet taste of a sun-ripened strawberry; the softness of a rose pedal.
Gardening is an ancient practice; one that helped man transition from hunter-gather to a more agrarian way of life nearly 10,000 years ago. But historians believe that ancient Egyptians were the first to create gardens solely for aesthetic purposes — sometime around 2,000 B.C.
Gardens, as they are created by humans, are indeed intentional. But gardening with intention involves more than just sowing seeds and nurturing plants. It requires careful planning and deliberate actions to meet a specific goal. Here are a few steps to help you create a garden with intention.
Define Your Gardening Goals
The first step to intentional gardening is to define your goals and objectives. Is your goal to grow healthy, sustainable food? Perhaps you want to attract more pollinators and birds to your landscape, or create a quiet sanctuary to be one with nature.
Whether you are creating a new garden or refreshing one, understanding your intentions for your garden will help guide your decisions throughout the planning process.
Plan with Care
Take time to plan your garden with your goals in mind. Thoughtful design choices, such as creating focal points, incorporating sensory elements like fragrant flowers or textured foliage, and designing for year-round interest, enhance the beauty and enjoyment of your garden space.
When developing a plan, explore different garden styles and talk with other gardeners for ideas and input. Consider creating zones within your landscape for various purposes, such as growing food, cutting flowers, or relaxing and enjoying nature.
Keep important factors, such as location, sunlight, water availability, and soil quality, in mind when designing your plan. For example, vegetable gardens require full-sun exposure, lots of water, and fertile soil to be productive.
Right Plant, Right Place
Perhaps one of the most critical steps of the plan is selecting plants for your space. Choosing the right plant for the right place at the outset will save you from having to relocate or replace plants later. It’s vital to select plants that are suited for the location and growing conditions in which you plan to plant them.
Consider these questions as you select plants for your garden:
- What do you want the plant to do?
- What do you want the plant to look like?
- What conditions does the plant need to grow?
Native plants are a great option to include in the garden or landscape as they are acclimated to the region, require little maintenance once established, and will support local wildlife. To maximize your efforts, choose plants that serve multiple purposes, such as providing food, attracting beneficial insects, or improving soil health.
Go Green
As you design your garden space, embrace eco-friendly gardening practices that minimize environmental impact and promote long-term sustainability. Use fertilizers sparingly and avoid allowing excess fertilizer to drain into sewer systems or waterways.
Adopt “bee-friendly” practices by committing to only using organic pest control methods and only when absolutely necessary. Many pesticides are indiscriminate and will kill all insects, including those that are beneficial to your garden – use these with care.
It’s a good practice to identify the pest before applying any insecticide, and make certain to read and follow product labels before applying. Another option is to decide how much insect damage you can live with. Keep in mind that most mature plants can withstand minor insect damage.
Conserve water by mulching around plants and using efficient irrigation systems. Improve your soil and reduce yard and kitchen waste through composting. To reduce electricity use, install solar-powered lights for pathways and pumps for water features.
Be Present
Strive to become more observant of your garden environment. In doing so, you will begin to connect with the natural world and the creatures living within it. Take time to appreciate the beauty and abundance that your garden provides. Being present also provides the opportunity to detect any potential issues, such as diseases or pest infestations, before they get out of hand.
Gardening with intention is an ongoing process of learning and adaptation. Stay curious, continue to experiment with new techniques and plants, and be open to feedback from your garden and fellow gardeners. When you garden with intention, you deepen your connection with the natural world, foster mindfulness, and create spaces that nourish the body, mind, and spirit.
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