Well, that was 2012. It was, in a word, wet, although it gave us some wonderful moments to remember. 2013 started in the normal post-party haze, but the sun shone all through New Year’s Day, so perhaps that augers well for the year ahead. This weekend feels like the ultimate come-down – sleepy, wet and dark. Thank heavens I have something to look forward to next Saturday, in the shape of a particularly significant birthday.
I made my gardening New Year’s resolutions back at the end of October as the garden started to wind down for winter. There’s no better time to reflect on one’s successes and failures than when they’ve just happened – I’d have forgotten if I’d left them until December and repeated the same mistakes again. I probably still will. Apparently 88% of people who make resolutions fail to keep them, so I am hoping that by making them public I might just put enough pressure on myself to stick to them.
- Less is More. Every year my woeful lack of willpower sees more plants introduced to the garden. Some don’t even make it into the ground. This has to stop for budgetary as well as practical reasons. Is there a support group for plant kleptomaniacs I wonder? And yes, I am including seeds in this as well, as they are yet another vice!
- Visit more gardens. There’s so much pleasure and inspiration to be derived from visiting other people’s gardens. I am more than happy to appreciate the efforts of those with more space / time / talent / money / creativity / courage than I – and that is most people. This year we are hoping to venture out a bit further and explore the gardens of North Kent, Hampshire and Cornwall as well as the plants of Nepal and Bhutan.
- Read more books, properly. Once again I’ve been given some amazing books for Christmas; properly inspiring titles that could really expand the mind. Rather than consigning them to the coffee table, I must make time to immerse myself in what they have to say…..as well and enjoying the pictures.
- Be a better gardener. Gardening is not an exact science and it demands discipline, bravery and a critical eye. Doing nothing is rarely an option and no two years are the same. That’s what makes it exciting. That’s why we love gardening. That’s why we need to keep on our toes.
Phew! Four resolutions are more than enough for me. I feel drained already. If I am feeling brave I’ll update you on how I’ve done as the year progresses.
What have you resolved to do better in the garden this year?
Above, common ivy (Hedera helix), a Celtic symbol of friendship, on the cliff-top at Stone Bay, Broadstairs on New Year’s Day 2013.
Categories: Musings, Plants, Small Gardens
Less is more made me smile. I decided to see if I could survive a gardening season without spending one penny on new plants. I did it, and have to say it felt good. I not only saved some money, but I was able to concentrate on seeing what I had, dividing, moving, and rearranging. I just may do it again this year. I did buy vegetable seeds, but I don’t count them because we consume the produce. Good luck. I’ll look forward to your new garden tour posts.
Thanks Judy. Have you read “Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping” by Judith Levine? Very enjoyable, although none of her wisdom appears to have rubbed off on me!
Oh….. no money on plants or garden anything???? I couldn’t do it. My NY resolution – invest in new rainwater tanks and put in a watering system for the two veggie patches – it’s taking me nearly 2 hours a night to water the garden by hand as we have had no rain for weeks – mind you it is not that arduous with a glass of wine in one hand and the hose in the other.! -Good luck with the ‘four challenges’ and look forward to the new posts. Helen
Goodness no Helen! It would be impossible for me to spend nothing at all. This year it’s all about hardware and hard graft. I’m hopefully getting new teak planters for my birthday – which will make the aggies happy. Then we need to completely rebuild the outdoor kitchen as a series of cold and wet winters has caused a lot of damage to the structure. That’s going to cost a bomb. The outside of the house also needs painting and the roof has a leak. It could be a very expensive year, so a bit of plant buying austerity won’t go amiss!