There is a lot of spontaneity to gardening. Oh, a plant sale at the local nursery –
buy something! Or, a friend needs to
divide an interesting perennial her grandmother gave her and wants to share
with you – yes please! In landscape
design school we learn that many of us are plant collectors, whereas a designer
plans a plant selection for a garden based on numerous environmental conditions
and factors. Well, there is something to
be said in defense of both styles. But
regardless of what kind of gardening style you enjoy, a gardening notebook can
be very helpful. It doesn’t have to be a lovely leather-bound journal. A composition book with pockets and dividers
works well. Useful contents might include:
- Receipts – some nurseries guarantee
their stock for a year…if you keep your receipt. Simply tape them to a page with a note
about what you bought and where you planted it. You won’t have to write much in your
notebook if the receipt lists plant names along with costs.
- Repeat purchases – some
kind of begonia grew so beautifully last summer that you want to plant it
again…but what was it called and what color was it? Take the small growers tag that says “Dragon
Wing Red” or “Cocktail Vodka” and tape it in your notebook, along with the
date and planting site.
- Botanical names. You join a garden club and want to
enter a horticulture exhibit. You will need the
plant variety and the latin botanical name. The
plant tag you saved in your journal has both for easy reference.
- To do list – As you walk
around the yard you find yourself thinking…I should have cut this back in
February, I’ve got to remember that next year. Keep a running list in your notebook for
“February Reminders,” “To Do Next Fall,” “Spring Cleanup,” etc.
- Budget. You call a landscaper to install a 10
foot long bed in your front yard.
He gives you an estimate of $600 for labor.
You check in your notebook to see that last year he installed the
same size bed in your back yard and only charged you $400 for labor. Even if you do all the work yourself,
record the project costs so you know how much you spent on a garden
project as well as quantities you used.
You’ll find it helpful to be able to look up how many cubic yards
of mulch you used last year when you are planning for this year.
- Planting Site. Last fall I planted an area of all white
spring bulbs and noted the plants and location in my notebook. A few weeks later I planted purple
anemones and yellow daffodils. When
I went to record it in my notebook…oops…I planted them all in the same
site. I should have checked my notebook.
Keeping notes, saving receipts and keeping tabs on plant
names can be very helpful in gardening.
Your method may be very sophisticated, or very simple, like mine.
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| Save plant tags to record the correct name and variety, and note the price and where you planted it. |
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| It is helpful to keep the plant tags and receipts. |
