My Backyard Update & 5 Things I Learned

This summer, I tried my hand at gardening. Our yard is full of grass, trees and shrubs, no flowers. We don’t have room to start a garden in the ground, so I opted to try container gardening, and integrate the planters throughout the backyard.

As of late, I’ve been so drawn to the notion of an English, or cutting garden. I love the idea of popping outside to gather flowers straight from my own backyard, so I set out to see if I could make this happen. I’ve already learned a great deal, which is of course, part of the process. I didn’t have any expectations, other than learning, and hoping some of the seeds would take. Learn more about what I planned to grow in my Summer Garden blog post.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

1. I should have done more research on where the seeds came from. Turns out, the seller doesn’t propagate their own seeds, and instead purchases from a larger, “big box” style seller, and repackages the seeds to sell. It got me wondering if some seeds were compromised in the process.

2. Puppies like dirt, and my little Ivy had her way with the smaller planters she was able to get her snout into. I expect she feasted on some of the seeds.

3. Many of the seeds require ample space between each one, which the planters I had allocated didn’t allow for due to their size.

4. A benefit of container gardening is that you can easily move the planters, however attention is required. We had a massive hail storm, and I failed to move some of the planters in time. The next day, there were large holes in the soil, which likely damaged the seeds.

5. I should have started planting a lot sooner. Next year, I’ll start the process indoors in an effort to get a head start. Our weather can be still so volatile in the spring with frost, it’s hard to know exactly the right time to plant.

Above, I moved the smaller planters up off the floor so Ivy couldn’t indulge in the soil. I think I was too late in doing so as the seeds didn’t amount to anything. In the larger, rectangular planter, the calendula is starting to sprout!

I have two containers of calendula, one either side of our lower level doors, both with the same exposure, soil and overall care. The one on the left is flourishing, the right is struggling. So interesting so see the same plants reacting in different ways. Stay tuned to see how they continue to fare!

I decided to replace the planters with annuals as I still wanted to have flowers through the summer, and felt my luck was running out with the seeds. Because it was so late in the season, there was slim pickings at our local garden centre, however I managed to find plants still in need of a good home, and a little love.

Lastly, our lounge seating area update is complete! The bold graphic, and colourful patterns are exactly what I envisioned for this space, and we’re loving the new fresh feel. Swipe to see what it looked like before.

I’ve layered the planters beside the sectional, and even though the seeds didn’t work out as planned, I’m so happy to have flowers in the mix of our backyard and will take this experience into next years season.

What I’ve also learned is there are so many factors, and variables to a successful outcome, many out of my control. I anticipate each year will offer new lessons and learnings, as well as further insight into the world of gardening. In any event, it’s been fun to learn something, explore a new level of creativity, and spend time in nature, even if it is in my own backyard.

💛

DID YOU KNOW? Landscapers are booking into Spring/ Summer 2022? If you’re interested in a backyard refresh involving more than furniture and decor, now is the time to connect with your team. If you’re looking to update furniture, (yes we do outdoor spaces!) start planning no later than February 2022. It’s never too early!