Now that our days are growing longer and the weather is warming up, there's truly no better time to start your gardening journey. With the start of summer just around the corner, it’s time to get your outdoor spaces ready for evenings spent enjoying patios, decks, and backyards. A well-maintained garden can make all the difference in turning a house into a home, creating a personal outdoor sanctuary (both for you and for local pollinators!). When it comes to listing your home, landscaping details and healthy garden beds can add significant appeal and value to a property by enhancing your curb appeal and amplifying the design of outdoor entertaining spaces.

Whether you’re growing flowers, vegetables, herbs, or simply want to curate a healthy lawn, we have some tips and tricks for you in this month’s blog!

Location, Location, Location

Possibly the most important part of your garden is selecting it’s location. When starting a new garden, choose a spot that you see every day. Whether that’s directly outside a frequently used window, bordering a patio, along a walkway, or in a favorite spot in the backyard, having your garden be a visual focal point will prevent you from forgetting crucial maintenance and will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labor every day. If you place a garden in a more tucked away corner you don’t see as regularly, the adage of “out of sight, out of mind” might wind you up with a plot full of dead plants.

The other crucial part of your garden’s location is understanding the real estate that your plants will be going into. Understanding the light conditions and soil type and selecting plants well adapted to that environment is often the deciding factor of if a garden will thrive or not. Determine if your garden is south-facing (this orientation typically gets more sunlight, which is ideal for sun-loving plants) or north-facing (typically gets less sunlight and more suited to shade-tolerant species).

Another important and oft-missed step that can make all the difference in your garden is testing your soil! Soil type can vary significantly even within a small garden. Simple soil tests can reveal whether your soil is sandy, clayey, or loamy, and pH tests can tell you if it's acidic or alkaline. This information helps you choose the right plants for your garden and amend the soil if necessary.

Start Small

The temptation when starting a garden is go to all out gangbusters and load up at a local garden center with gorgeous flowers, greenery, vegetable plants and garden features. Typically gardening (even with the best laid plans) is all about trial and error and getting to know how plants react to your soil, sun, and watering schedule. It’s inevitable that some plants are not going to thrive, so it’s key to start small and gradually expand as you gain experience and confidence.

Starting with pots, planters, or a small raised bed is a great way to begin. This controlled environment makes it easier to manage your plants and allows you to focus on their needs (in addition to cutting down on the amount of weeds you’ll need to deal with). As you become more comfortable with gardening, you can gradually increase the size of your garden.

If you have leftover space that you’d like to expand into as you go, cover the plots with black plastic to suppress weeds. This allows you to focus on one section at a time without becoming overwhelmed.

Get A Watering Routine

Many new gardeners struggle to give their plants the right amount of water. In general, people tend to overwater indoor plants and underwater outdoor ones. Irregular watering can stress plants, leading to poor growth and disease. A good rule of thumb is to stick a finger in the top inch of soil; if it’s starting to dry out, it might be time to water. Luckily, here in the PNW, we tend to get regular rainfall, which helps keep our gardens moist and healthy. However, if you know that regular watering will be a challenge for you, be sure to choose drought-resistant plants.

To minimize evaporation, water your plants early in the morning or late in the day when the sun is not as strong. Avoid watering in the evening, as wet foliage at night can promote disease. Installing a drip irrigation system can also help ensure your plants receive a consistent water supply without wasting resources.

Embracing Native Plants

The primary reason flowers like Gardenias, Azaleas, and Roses can be such a challenge to keep alive and flowering is because they come from climates with very different soil types, sun exposure, and rainfall. If you want a truly low-maintenance garden, pick native plants or plants from environmentally similar places. In addition to being biologically well-adapted to our region, these plants also provide essential support for local pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which have evolved alongside these plants. When shopping for plants, ask your local garden center for their recommendations on native plants that will thrive in your garden.

When selecting plants to support pollinators, avoid newer cultivars with double flowers. These varieties may look appealing but often have extra petals that make it harder for insects to reach the nectar and pollen. Instead, opt for traditional native species that provide a reliable food source for pollinators.

Deadheading & Pruning

Deadheading, or removing spent flowers, is a valuable practice for many perennials and annuals. For annual plants, whose goal is to flower, set seed, and die, deadheading encourages them to produce more blooms. For perennials, it helps the plant direct energy toward strengthening roots and leaves rather than seed production.

Pruning is another essential maintenance task. Knowing when to prune specific plants can significantly affect their health and appearance. For example, prune spring-flowering shrubs like lilacs immediately after their blooms fade. These shrubs set their flower buds in autumn on last year's growth, so pruning in fall or winter removes the next spring's flower buds. For a comprehensive year-round pruning guide, visit this helpful pruning resource.

Patience and Persistence

Gardening is a journey filled with successes and setbacks. Some plants will thrive, while others may not do as well. It's important to have patience with yourself and not get discouraged when things don't go as planned. Learn from each experience and use that knowledge to improve your gardening skills.

If all else fails, there's no shame in seeking help. Professional gardeners, landscapers, and contractors can provide valuable assistance and advice. We regularly work with these professionals and are more than happy to refer you some fantastic contractors that we trust. Hiring a professional can be particularly beneficial if you have a large garden or complex landscape that requires more time and expertise than you can provide.

And, perhaps most importantly, be sure to take the time to enjoy your garden and the fruits (sometimes literal) of your labor! Happy gardening