Top 5 Tips for Planning your 2023 Garden
Before you know it, spring will be here and so will all the joy and beauty of the season. However, you shouldn’t wait until temperatures creep back up to dig in, dust off your trowel, and give in to your green thumb! A new year presents the perfect opportunity to begin planning your garden. There’s no need to delay. With these tips, your 2023 garden will glow with blooms, buds, and boundless beauty.
1. Put Pen-to-Paper to Plan for Plant Perfection
Laying out your 2023 garden now gives you the opportunity to truly embrace your yard’s full potential. It also allows you the chance to take inventory of what perennial plants you can anticipate returning to life and where your garden needs a little extra love. Plus, beginning the year with a well-thought-out plan will ensure your year of gardening will go smoothly.
To create your 2023 garden layout and planting plan, we suggest you use graph paper, a pencil, and a measuring tape.
Depending on the size of your yard, you can create your layout in zones or on one piece of paper. If you have access to a property parcel map, you can print it, which will save you the time and effort of mapping out your home, driveway, and other elements. Otherwise, you will want to measure and then sketch these in.
Next, measure your existing beds and add them to your layout. After this is completed, you will want to mark what is planted in your beds and add any shrubs or trees growing throughout your yard. Next, note light levels or each zone along with watering systems or other conditions that will affect what can be planted.
Once your existing landscape is mapped out, you can sketch in any beds, new shrubs, or trees you want to add. Keep your measurements as accurate as possible to better determine how many plants to order later on.
2. Research the Best Varieties for Your Needs
The short days and long nights are ideal for spending evenings reading up on which plants will thrive in your yard and make your heart flutter. As you narrow down your favorites, keep your landscaping plan by your side. Use it as a reference for which new varieties will complement your existing plants and thrive in your garden’s conditions.
Then, take note of the recommended spacing distance and estimated size of your selections. This makes knowing how many plants you need much easier.
3. Do Not Delay Ordering Your Plants
There are few things worse than having your heart set on a particular cultivar only to find out that it’s sold out, so do not wait until spring to order. After you’ve created your plan, begin ordering the plants you want to integrate into your garden. Most nurseries will ship your plants during their ideal planting window.
Additionally, most plants are happy to be planted while dormant in the winter. Just be sure the ground isn’t frozen when it comes time to dig. If an unexpected freeze comes in, you can always keep your plants indoors for a few days.
4. Aim for Staggered Bloom Times
One of the greatest challenges many gardeners face is how to keep year-round interest alight in their yards. By staggering bloom times from winter through fall, you will find yourself spending more time in your garden and less time envying your neighbors’ plants that are in bloom while yours are bare.
You don’t have to be a horticulturist to achieve striking color all year. You just need to create a simple 12-month timeline and fill in when your flowers are in bloom. From there, you can sort down your plant selection by bloom time to fill in the gaps.
When it comes to winter, you will likely find a camelia, hellebores, cyclamen, or pansy that will work for your needs. Nandinas and hollies make for fantastic winter interest and great wildlife planting.
5. Consider Ordering Bareroot Plants
If you’re planning for one a prolific year, look into ordering bareroot plants. Bareroot plants arrive without messy soil and are ready to be popped into the ground. They’re also a more affordable option to really fill in your yard without emptying your bank account.
Plus, they often establish more rapidly and don’t run the risk of being rootbound in a pot.
Celebrate the New Year with a Bold Plan for Your Garden
We wish you a year filled with color, creativity, and growth! May this year be one worthy of photos that show off your great taste in plants and the fun of gardening. Don’t wait to turn 2023 into a year of gardening glory. Get started now and enjoy the beauty of the natural world right outside your door.
