Gardening season is here in Minnesota and I wanted to get an early start this year. In mid-April, I began tidying up my backyard garden beds. At the time, I wrote on Instagram that I felt like my backyard would become my entire personality. It was a joke… sort of? Either way, I’ve finally decided to stamp the backyard garden bed that’s been barely touched since we moved into this house.
Today I’m sharing my 2024 backyard garden plans, what I’ve been up to so far, and some of the emotional benefits this new hobby offers.
How have our backyard gardens evolved since 2020?
When we moved into our house in 2020, our backyard garden beds were lush but overgrown with weeds. Over the years, I have repeated the process of weeding this flower bed and leaving it alone. I did not add any new plants to the cleared areas, which only left room for invasive species to grow.
In comparison, the garden beds in our front yard are in pretty good shape. After the death of mature bushes, trees and shrubs last year, we undertook a major landscaping project to revitalize this garden. I also planted bulbs here last fall and fought to keep rabbits from eating them, an effort that was about 50% successful.
My Backyard Garden Plan for 2024
So far this year, I’ve been paying attention to what’s growing and what’s died since last year. Joe and I raked piles of leaves and removed weeds including burdock, garlic mustard, creeping charlie and elder. We also added mulch throughout the garden beds.
A lot has happened, but organizing everything is just the beginning. For the past few years I have been struggling with what to clean up and plant in this flower bed. This will in turn lead to more invasive plants growing. This year we are breaking that vicious cycle!
For the next step, I decided to get the plants in the ground by mid-June. Our backyard garden is shady, so anything I plant needs to thrive in a shady environment. I want to follow the concept “Chaos Gardening” Most (but not all) native plants are used. The goal is to select and plant a variety of species that will grow well in your space without requiring too much care, and then let most of them grow in the wild.
Established plants currently in our backyard include:
- hostas
- astilbe
- evergreen
- boxwood
- fern
Here’s what I’m thinking of planting this year:
- maidenhair fern
- foam flower
- blue false indigo
- more hostas
- bleeding heart
- more astilbe
- Azalea
I’m trying to be realistic about the amount of time, energy, and space I have. The process may not be perfect, but I know that filling your backyard with plants that will grow well in your area will be a big step in the right direction.
Emotional Benefits of Gardening
Working as a novice gardener taught me that gardening takes time and effort, and the results always improve. It’s not just about the outcome, it’s also about the experience itself and the benefits you get from it. There is a ton of research supporting the positive benefits of gardening.This recent article from new york times I refer to many such studies.
Gardening is a great way to relax and relieve stress, and it’s also a great source of exercise! But the benefits of gardening are more than physical. It can also have a positive impact on your emotional well-being. I think this is a big reason why I take the time to invest in this space. Gardening forces me to slow down, be patient, and spend time outside. I feel so good and satisfied after I go out and do it.
I am now thinking of joining a community group of gardeners in my neighborhood to learn more and meet new people. I think this would be a great way to learn from other gardeners! I’d love to look back on this post a year from now and see how far these spaces have come.
Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning tennis and has been learning to play tennis for the rest of her life. Test the boundaries of her creative abilities. Follow her on Instagram. @witanddelight_.
