For the first time ever, I decided to put up our Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. Usually, I wait until a few days before Christmas to decorate our home and most importantly the tree. After hauling from the basement box after box of tinsel, ornaments, and lights, I came to a disturbing realization. The decorations werenât going to do me any good, because we didnât have a Christmas tree. During our move last summer, we had made the decision to give away our old Christmas tree and planned on purchasing a new one. The problem was, we never purchased a new one. Thankfully a few trips to local big box stores and some shopping online helped us to ensure that we were still able to decorate the tree by Christmas Eve.
Just as planning ahead for Christmas allowed things to go smoothly, planning ahead for spring is also warranted. Planning for spring with regards to the outside of a home, allows homeowners time to reflect, find inspiration and set goals. Benefits include the creation of a more low-maintenance landscape and lowering the costs associated planting and maintaining the outdoor living space.
Reflection on the previous yearâs successes and failures will help determine future plans for your yard. As the community matures, it gives homeowners more time to see what has stood the test of time and what has not. Are there flowers, shrubs, and trees in your yard that seem to be thriving while some others are not? Although it may seem odd, sometimes, the simple act of walking around your yard and carefully evaluating each plant can be very enlightening.
Just as the inside of our home allows for places to eat, relax, and entertain, so does the outside of our home. Determining what we hope to achieve through the various areas of our yard helps to set goals. In the front of the home the goal may be to draw attention to the front door. In the back of a home, a goal may be to establish a bit of privacy from a bedroom window to a neighborâs patio. Developing an area that allows for reading a newspaper or a book may also be achieved through proper planning.
Inspiration is found in many different places and spaces. By simply walking or driving in your neighborhood, you may see a home or homes for which you admire portions of their landscaping. Making a day trip to the Klehm Arboretum or the Anderson Japanese Gardens both in Rockford can not only be a refreshing way to spend the day but may also give you a few ideas of things to incorporate in your own yard. The Chicago Botanic Garden and the Morton Arboretum both offer in-person and online gardening classes. YouTube videos or other social media platforms such as Pinterest offer an overwhelming number of landscaping do it yourself videos and pictures. As with anything online, make sure to verify that the information that is being imparted on these platforms is appropriate for our area.
As with many things, timing plays a key role with landscaping. Planning ahead assists in the understanding of what needs to be done and when those projects can be started. In our area, new planting projects can usually begin in mid-April.
By planning ahead, you are able to prioritize the tasks that need to be done and it will minimize the chance that you feel overwhelmed when the gorgeous days of spring arrive. Pruning, weeding, dividing and mulching are all common gardening tasks that can typically be tackled starting in late March. Soil moisture content levels are the primary factor when determining whether or not work can be done in the landscaping. It is not wise to work in landscaping beds when the soil is wet.
As a seasoned gardener once said, âAnyone who thinks that gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part – gardening begins in February with a dream.â I hope that you enjoy dreaming about your landscaping and that your dreams come true to spring.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
