In northern Utah, landscaping and gardening probably aren’t at the forefront of your mind this time of year – but we think they should be!
If you begin your spring landscape and garden planning now, you’ll be in a much better position to make your vision come to life once the cold weather fades away. Even though you probably won’t be planting any shade trees, shrubs or outdoor plants for a few more months, wintertime is ideal for developing your garden and landscaping plan for the upcoming year.
Make a Wish List for Landscaping Updates
Remember this past summer, when you wished you had done a few things differently in your yard or garden? Working on a landscaping plan now will ensure that doesn’t happen next year. Start by thinking about your overall needs and wants for your garden spaces. What types of landscaping updates would you like to see next spring, or later in the year?
Perhaps you would like to boost your home’s curb appeal with annual flowerbeds. Or, maybe you need quick-growing landscape trees for more privacy. You may want to add landscaping elements that attract pollinators, like bees, butterflies and birds, or that help to create more height and density in your garden areas.
Was this summer’s garden’s yield a little heavy on the zucchini but light on the tomatoes? Now is the perfect time to reimagine your garden beds, landscape elements and outdoor plant selection.
Establish a Schedule and Budget for Next Year’s Landscaping Projects
Once you’ve made a list of everything you want to change or add in your garden and landscaping, give it a closer look. This time, take a more realistic approach to what you can actually accomplish during the spring, summer and fall months. While you may prefer to be in the garden all the time, your schedule or budget may not allow you to do everything in a single season.
Drawing up a monthly – or even weekly – gardening schedule can help you develop a landscaping plan that is achievable in the time you have available. As you consider the amount of time you can spend in the garden, think too about how much money you would like to budget for your yard and landscaping in the coming year.
Planning your landscape design in stages can help stretch your gardening dollars. Although we all might like to run out to the garden center on the first warm day to buy supplies for every project, that’s not a practical approach. Instead, budget your time and your costs wisely, by spreading them out over the course of the year.
Finalize Your Landscaping Plan and Choose Outdoor Plants
Once you have envisioned your goals for next year’s garden and landscaping, it’s time to fine-tune the plan and sketch out the design. You don’t have to be an artist. Just draw a basic plan, indicating where the outdoor plants, shrubs and trees will go. Or you can use one of the many free online gardening planners to help you along.
Finally, make a list of all the plants and garden supplies you will need. That way, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running come springtime.
Once you have imagined how you want your garden and landscape to look, call on us to help make it a reality. Here at Millcreek Gardens, our friendly and experienced associates can help you create the yard of your dreams. Visit us today and let us help you find everything you need for your garden and landscaping.