Just a Few Small Tweaks

Written By: Debby Hall | Issue: Winter 2025

For me, January is a month that is a bridge between last years wins and losses and the New Year’s promise of a fresh start on some things while making necessary adjustments on others.

I can say this philosophy extends across all aspects of my life and I especially enjoy the evaluation and planning process when it comes to my garden. There is nothing more enjoyable than in the late evening or early morning hours to spread out my gardening books and articles, poring over them and thinking of how I want my landscape to look, deciding what’s going to work in my mostly shady yard and dreaming of how the finished product will look…like that ever happens!

Oh, and do you like that run-on sentence? It’s a metaphor for my run-on garden. Did you know that you are not officially a gardener until you’ve moved each plant at least three times?!?

Yes, someone actually told me that and I thought they were kidding.

Now, not so much. And while I’m on the subject, it hasn’t escaped me that my shady yard will eventually change as trees will need to be felled and mother nature will have the last laugh while I go through the process again.

But I digress. I have certain favorite inspirational books that I open the pages to and study to see how I can incorporate some of the wonderful plantings in my yard. It’s really the structure I study along with the textures, sizes and shapes I’m attracted to. Then I look over the list of plants I love, the ones that will do well in my now shady yard and decide how I can incorporate those ideas in my spaces. I enjoy doing this over the cold winter months, revisiting ideas and deciding which ones to incorporate.

One year my aspiration was to have an all, white garden and over time I got fairly far with it until I moved. The process is for my enjoyment not to be viewed as work or an assignment I’ve given myself. It’s the gift my dormant garden gives me: Time. Time to savor the process, time to dream of possibilities.

Gardening is a living, growing process, well beyond just plants. It allows us to flex our creative muscles. There are years when I’m not very inspired, so I might tread water or do just a few small tweaks.

Those times when I am energized and raring to go, I tackle bigger projects; my additions and re-dos. Sometimes its plants, other times hardscape, and other times just creating living spaces outdoors that feed my soul.

I think that’s really what a gardener is going after, that connection with nature that brings a certain peace and contentment that you won’t find anywhere else.

I wish you the very best in this New Year!

Happy Gardening!