INTRODUCTION
Your garden is the foundation of your outdoor space. It’s the centerpiece of your yard – the place where you make lasting memories with your friends and family. It is where you’re able to enrich your life with the beauty of nature and relish in all the hard work you’ve done to make a space you adore.
Do you feel like you don’t know what to do with your outdoor space? Has it been an eyesore for quite some time, and you keep convincing yourself that you’re going to get to it eventually? A lot of people tend to neglect their outdoor spaces because they feel as though they’re far too busy with the interior of their home to think about it, or they’re too afraid to try. Many people resort to hiring out when it comes to their garden because they’re afraid to make an attempt on their own.
Gardening is an art, and it is one that doesn’t require the vast amount of skill you may think it does. I’m a wife, a stay-at-home mom, and I’ve cultivated my gardening knowledge for five years despite how busy life has gotten. Much like any skill we first start out with, it can seem a little overwhelming, but once you break it down into manageable steps, you’ll be feeling like a gardening pro in no time.
I’m here to help you achieve a beautifully designed garden that will inspire you to make better use of your outdoor space so that you can create those precious memories that stick with you for the rest of your life. Think of all the wonderful afternoons you can spend outdoors surrounded by beautiful blooming flowers in the summer... throwing barbecues... hosting brunches. Think of the evenings you spend out in a place that feels fresh... that helps you escape from the stress of everyday life so that you can relish in the time you take to relax.
Your garden is just as much a part of your home as the other areas you’ve taken the time to work on, and it’s time you master gardening design for yourself so you can make the space a perfect fit for you. You’ll be taken through a practical application of gardening expertise, and arm yourself with the knowledge that will help you liven up your outdoor space that needs work. You’ll learn the ins and outs of gardening as well as landscaping so you’ll have a space to enjoy with those you love, but also one that is quite appealing to the eye.
In a world where we tend to be so caught up with interior design, always looking for new ways to freshen up our spaces, we often forget about the positive impact having a luscious garden space can have on our mental health. The act of gardening itself, even for those who have never done it before, can be an absolutely relaxing experience. It’s a chance for you to take a break from the pressures of your daily
life, and do something that will help restore your connection to nature that will genuinely change your life.
You may have quite a few questions about how to proceed, but the most common one is probably, “How do I begin?” The first step in ensuring that you’re ready to tackle a project like garden design or landscaping is to make a clear list of what you want to achieve. Think about what your outdoor area looks like, how much space you actually have to work with, and what are your non-negotiables that are going to be the center of the work itself. Write down all of the things you’d want to include. Allow your imagination to run a little wild, and when you’re done, you’ll have a much clearer picture of what it will look like once you’ve mastered a few key skills.
If you’re still not sold on how gardening can truly change your life for the better, I have a few benefits I’d like to share with you that will get you ready to begin your journey. First, gardening is beneficial to your health. You’re surrounded by nature, but you’re also getting quite a bit of Vitamin D when you’re out there, and that is something that’s quite necessary for us all. Vitamin D is essential, and most of us get far too caught up with all the things we need to take care of indoors that we completely forget about how important it is to get outside every once in a while.
Gardening requires quite a bit of action on your part, but that is a good thing because it acts as exercise. Exercise is essential to the body, and engaging in gardening will help increase your strength as well as promote better sleep. Even if you spend an hour a day working on your projects, you’re doing more than you would if you were shut away inside, tending to all your other responsibilities.
Not only will you have a stunning place to spend time in when you’ve got your gardening systems down, but you’ll also find that it will start to boost your mood quite substantially due to how much it can affect your mental clarity. You’re away from your digital devices, giving some time to yourself to do something that doesn’t require too much thought, and eventually, you’ll start to see the worry, doubt, and anxiety start to melt away. This is because you’re doing something that allows you to calm down, to refocus your mindset, all while engaging in activity that will certainly benefit your physical health in the long run.
Your gardening and landscaping journey doesn’t have to be something that you go at alone. It can be a great activity for you to involve your partner, children, other family members, or even friends. You’d be surprised how much fun you’d all have together once you get started. Gardening doesn’t have to feel like a chore or a mountain to climb. It doesn’t have to stress you out tremendously while you try to figure out your best course of action.
I’m here to show you just how simple, effective, and worthwhile gardening can truly be, whether you go at it alone, or you decide to get help along the way.
“The garden is a love song, a duet between a human being and Mother Earth.”
— JEFF COX
When I first began gardening, it seemed like too difficult of a task to handle because there were so many moving parts to the system itself. I felt like I’d never be able to fully grasp what to do and what not to do. I was afraid of making mistakes, worried that my hard work would all be for nothing, but I quickly realized that with a little clear knowledge on the subject, and a few helpful tips, I’d be able to succeed.
Gardening is a hobby that turned into a passion of mine because I was consumed by the idea of creating something beautiful. It became an activity that improved my health, made me care more about the environment, and appreciate the nature around me that I had the pleasure of growing all on my own. I wanted a beautiful outdoor space that I’d be able to enjoy, but I also wanted to experience all of the other benefits I had read about at the start of my journey. I wanted to be less dependent on grocery stores, grow fresh flowers to bring into my home, and be able to save money where I could.
Sometimes we don’t realize how much grocery stores upcharge produce because we’re too busy trying to finish our shopping lists and get home in time to take care of our other responsibilities. However, your garden can save you a lot of trouble when it comes to the food you put in your body, the exercise you get, and the place where you can relax at the end of a tiring day. Growing produce has helped me to nourish my body without continually spending too much to feed my family. We all utilize the outdoor and gardening spaces together, making it a hobby we all enjoy. Those memories are special, and they’re truly unlike any other.
Not only has gardening become a hit for my entire family, but it has also helped me decrease my stress levels, so I can approach my responsibilities feeling a lot more clear-headed and calm than I would’ve been otherwise. I find that, due to how much time and attention I give my garden, I’m much more patient, as well as understanding when it comes to any hardship I face throughout my day.
The detailed work that goes into gardening and the clear comprehension of how all different factors affect growth may seem like a science that’s too hard to grasp, but it’s not. I’ve grown my gardening knowledge for years, learned through trial and error, experienced so much about what it truly means to create an outdoor space that feels like home.
You want to make better use of your backyard or your front yard, turning it into something beautiful, but also something quite useful. You want to spend your late summer afternoons out enjoying the fresh air, waking up early to pick the vegetables that are ready to be
harvested, and take a good, hard look at all that you’ve accomplished with a space you once had no idea what you’d do with. It’s a place for you to quite literally stop and smell the roses.
It’s time for you to slow down, work through each area of your space, and turn it into an absolute masterpiece. No matter where you live, how much space you have to work with, or what your goals are, there is something that can be done. Even if you have a hard time envisioning what it’s going to look like now, I can assure you that by the time you’re finished with this book, you’ll be ready to tackle your garden feeling like a professional.
Before you dive right into the gardening tips, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Gardening isn’t an errorless process, and there are going to be times where you’ll make mistakes, but don’t let this deter you from trying. Don’t tell yourself that you don’t have a green thumb, or that you’re not cut out to make your outdoor space everything you want it to be. With every skill, it takes time, practice, and effort to learn, but remember to have fun while you do it. That’s what makes gardening such a worthwhile activity, and that’s what’s going to keep you motivated to continue even when you hit a few bumps in the road.
This is your chance to dream a little bigger, decide what you want your garden and outdoor space to accomplish. Think about the things that you want to grow, what might be best for the climate that you’re in, and what tools you’ll need to accomplish these projects. Your goal is to be able to work with what you have, but you’re certainly going to need a few additional supplies to get started, ones that will make your life much easier in the long run. Skip out on the plastic tools that
could very well lead to injury, and invest in ones that are going to last through the various stages of your gardening process.
The best kind of gardens are the ones that incorporate many different areas, all accomplishing different goals, but working in unison together. Even if you can’t fully see just how beautiful of a space you’ll be able to create just yet, take the time to search and inspire yourself with imagery you’ll be able to incorporate on your own gardening journey. This is the space that’s truly going to change your life in more ways than one. Are you ready to get started learning the ins and outs of gardening?
Let’s get started!
