A Garden Guide
Dream it, build it, watch it grow! by Amy M Adams
A Garden Guide Dream it, build it, watch it grow! by Amy M Adams
Mindful Soul Center Publications
This e-book version of the Garden Guide is first published by Mindful Soul Center Publications, 2021
Copyright © 2021 by Amy M. Adams
All rights reserved. This book or parts therof, may not be reproduced or used in any form or manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publishers except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or article. For information address hello@themindfulsoulcenter.com
The right of Amy M Adams to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
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Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/themindfulsoulcenter/ YouTube: @themindfulsoulcenter/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mindfulsoulctr/
This e-publication is a companion to the spiral-bound print guide and planner, A Garden Planner: Dream it, build it, watch it grow! includes over 135 supplemental planning pages and is available to purchase directly through themindfulsoulcenter.com
Dedication This book and planner is dedicated to you dear gardener.
Acknowledgements For the encouragement and support a heartfelt thanks to my workmates Helen
Sanchez
and
Ani
Papazyian,
and a warm thank you to my beloved friends who have supported my work and believed in me - you know who you are!
Dear Gardener, Gardening for me is a labour of love, an experience so rewarding it is actually difficult for me to find the words to express how it makes me feel! Getting my hands dirty, the smell of the earth, the sweat on my brow
when
planning
&
planting,
the
deep
slumber
after
a
day
of
digging in the dirt, even the occasional aching muscles - it's all good! That is why I created this planner book to encourage and help you explore the joys of gardening. When we connect to our Mother Earth, it reminds us who we really are - humans floating and spinning through space on this sphere in the vast cosmos. We rely on her for everything, and tending to her provides
for
other
living
beings,
heightens
our
awareness
and
nourishes our very being, body, mind and soul. Gardening is an act of gratitude
to
our
Mother
Earth,
and
through
our
care,
she
will
flourish. This planner is meant for use year-round as you dream your garden into
reality
one
step
at
a
time.
It
includes
planning
pages
intermingled with chunks of information that you can ponder and use. It begins with a series of questions to help you plan over several pages. You'll find plant lists, images and illustrations, journal pages, plant pages, eighteen months of goal and calendar pages, and graph paper for planning and more. This planner is designed to help you maximize your garden space for a rich and full experience of flowers and foliage in your garden. Before you get started, jump around the book. Then begin to build your garden one step at a time. I hope that you will write in it and cherish it, looking back each year on your notes and the progress you will have made as you continue to dig in the dirt, plant your seeds or seedlings and nourish the plants that create your garden. They will reward you for years to come. If you like this book, please let others know about it by leaving a review or buying your friends and family members copies and spread the love. I hope you enjoy it and will post pictures of your progress on social media too. Visit our Pinterest boards for inspiring ideas that will help you in imagining and planning your garden. Send any questions to or send feedback and features requests for future editions to amy@themindfulsoulcenter.com. Tag your garden pix @themindfulsoulcenter on most social media platforms or for Twitter use @mindfulsoulctr. Namaste!
v
Amy
During the long winter months snuggled up in blankets, a wandering mind produces dreams and visions of lush foliage, colourful flowers blooming
and
trailing
vines.
It's
February
in
the
Northern
Hemisphere. Like vines, these dreams entangle themselves into my cold reality as I long for the warmer days. Yet, all the while knowing in my heart that they will come.
The first signs of spring appear as the day slowly becomes longer, only to be shunned as a cold wind hurts my skin. Tricking my brain for a short while, I go to the local nursery greenhouse and bathe in its warmth
dreaming
of
spring.
So,
even
though
it
is
cold
and
my
patience wears thin, it gives me something to look forward to.
I begin to plan the succession of blooms in my garden. What kind of garden will I plant this year? Flowers? Herbs? Veggies? and what colour combinations would be nice to see together? What worked last year? What didn't? How will I arrange my pots and containers? or my furniture? Not only is it important to dream, imagining will help you in the planning process.
Allow yourself to dream big.
One of the beauties of gardening is that it teaches us patience. Your first-year garden won't look like your third-year garden. It will be worth the effort and the wait and, that isn't to say your first-year garden won't be spectacular - oh - it can be! Simultaneously your garden space will present to you its limits that you will have to work with if you like it or not! Keep in mind that the planning process is fluid and, as long as you keep a garden, it will be an evolution. This is where we start. Dream it and take small action steps.
Put pen to paper - laying the foundation for your space. Planning is the first step where you dream your vision into reality and follow it up with action. Planning isn't simply sitting down and writing it out. Planning includes wandering in your neighbourhood and parks to find wonder and beauty; visiting garden centres, and staring blanklyoff into the nether-regions of your imagination too. It can include looking at real-life books and magazines at the library or searching through images on gardening boards on Pinterest! You can even get those cards with colour paint samples, then play with colour.
Do these things intermittently, and all the while add these
thoughts and ideas to this book; glue your paint chip colours in here in colour combos you love or jot down a flower you are interested in adding to your garden. Don't limit yourself.
We don't want to build a house without laying a foundation and, that is
the
same
for
our
garden
spaces.
The
considerations
we
must
account for in planning a garden are similar, whether in limited or larger spaces. Consider some key points that will help you
to determine how you will use the space think
about
the
types
of
features
you
would
like to incorporate in the space, and to narrow your focus so you can get started.
Big garden dreams manifest one plant at a time. Using help
this
information
you
to
lay
will the
foundation for your garden for many seasons to come. On the next pages you'll find a series of questions worth answering
before
investing
your time, effort and money in
creating
your
space.
Jot
down your answers and try not
to
one
answer
sitting.
the planner.
Q&A Space Where is the space that you want to plant? How do you use this space now? Who uses this space? Is it a fixed space like a balcony or terrace? Or is a parcel of land filled with dirt or grass? What is the size of this space? How much space would you like to dedicate to planting?
them
Jump
all
in
around
Maximizing your space If you have limited space, you can increase your planting area by going vertical. Depending on your location, it's also possible you can use
railings,
overhangs,
and
windowsills
too.
Exterior
walls
can
support metal plant hangers to hold baskets of flowers. You can also attach half-round hay baskets on them that you can fill with flowers and
trailing
inexpensive
plants wire
that
mesh
will to
cascade
apply
to
down
your
the
wall.
exterior
You
wall
to
can
use
support
clematis vines or even train cucumbers to grow vertically. You use window
boxes
on
your
window
ledges
and
sills
or
place
metal
supports on a railing. Do you have an overhang, for instance, above a doorway that you can hang baskets from?
Measure & Sketch Pause before proceeding and flip through the next several pages in the planning section. Once you've done that you're ready to create the garden of your dreams. Measure your space and get out your pencil and paper and create a sketch – dream, imagine and create. Remember you do not have to decide on everything at this moment. The beauty of gardens is their adaptability and organic nature that allows for change. If you do not like something, it can be changed with ease as you go or season to season.
Thinking about the things
in this section will help guide you through the process of creating a lush, useful space that you can enjoy for years to come.
Light Requirements Whether it a plant sold in a pot from a nursery, a seed packet or bag of
bulbs
or
bare-root
plants,
most
plant
packaging
include
light
requirements for the specific plant. They are shade, part-shade, sun, full-sun, and some-times even noted as sun to shade. Shade plants are typically plants like ferns and those plants that grow under the cover of trees. Some plants are lovers of low light, aka part-shade or semi-shade and will thrive with a limited number of sunlight hours each day or in dappled sunlight. You can create these
conditions
over
time
by
utilizing
and
planting
taller
plant
forms or existing structures like buildings, fences, etc. Even shadeloving
plants
require
and
receive
some
form
of
light.
Full-shade
plants require less than 3 hours of direct sunlight per day. Partshade plants require between 3 and 6 hours of sunlight each day but need protection from the intense mid-day sun.
Part-sun plants thrive with between 3 and 6 hours of direct sunlight each
day,
yet
they
have
a
higher
tolerance
for
the
mid
to
late
afternoon intensity of sunlight. Full-sun
plants
unshaded
not
sunlight
only
for
tolerate,
an
but
unlimited
some
number
may of
even
hours
require
each
day.
Southern exposure is best for plants that require full sun. Although there are several shade lovers and full-sun loving plants, the majority you choose will probably fall into the sun-to-shade and sun categories. These require a lot of sunlight yet must be protected from the strongest rays of the Sun. For example, in my garden, some plants are shaded in the morning and, as the Sun moves across the sky, they receive a strong dose of light that continues for several hours. But at a certain point, the railing next to them provides shade and protects them from the powerful rays of the late afternoon Sun. Light conditions can change in your garden as plants mature and increase in size. Use a compass to help guide you.
Q&A Light area
direction
face?
your
Grab
phone
probably
-
has
does a
compass
your
one.
the
garden or
use
smartphone
How
does
light
travel in this area? How many hours of
direct
sunlight
designated
area
receive
does each
the day?
out
the
day
relation space? the
sky
times
to
your
Look at
and
in
up
to
various
jot
down
your observations.
ance in the sk y td
How does the sun change through-
s e t o h d e ligh w o H
?
Which
There are many different types of gardens to meet your needs. If you have children, you might involve them in gardening, making space for them
to
butterfly
create garden
Depending
on
their to
your
own
small
help
them
space
and
scale
learn
fairy
about
commitment,
garden. bees you
Or
and can
create
a
butterflies.
have
one
or
many types of gardens. The first house that I purchased, described in the introduction had a variety of garden areas. I'll detail them below to give you an idea of what is possible even on a small property.
Stairs led up to the property from the street. A rock garden followed the path upward. Emerging from the space between the rocks were prickly pear cacti and other flowering plants. This house was in a well-populated
and
crowded
area,
and
still,
it
served
as
home
to
garden snakes and other critters, all in a condensed space.
When you reached the top of the stairs on the right side of the house, you would usually be greeted by the princess cat Leusha, who sat under the arbour with antique climbing roses. To the right of the pathway and the left were small cottage garden areas filled with swathes of daylilies, and roses edged with hostas. The back of the house had a section for a vegetable garden and an area to grow catnip for the cats, Tazmania and Leusha. A grapevine grew along the back fence and, the rest of the backyard filled with plants, a small patch of grass, and a tree.
Squirrels
frequented
one
tree
in
particular,
and
my
dog
Chelsea
would run like mad through the back garden to let me know they were
there!
The
first
few
years,
plants
were
murdered
by
her
enthusiasm! I made observations and, later having figured out her pathways, avoided planting in those areas. The plants flourished.
The left side of the house's side yard was heavily shaded. Two cedar trees grew there and were now over 100 years old. In between them, a small shade garden with astilbe, bleeding hearts and other shadeloving plants grew.
Garden Elements There are a variety of elements you can add to your garden to create
and
personalize
your
space. You can break down your design into sections of outdoor rooms
that
purposes.
serve
different
The next pages gives
you space to think about them. There
are
examples
and
discussion of them as well.
some
Bat Houses "I
want
to
suck
bwah-hahaha," bat.
said
Actually,
don't.
They
mosquitos
your
no,
want
in
blood
the bats
to
your
-
little really
eat
the
garden
and
live their lives doing their little bat
things
human
that
beings.
don't
The
involve
over
1,300
known varieties of bats, in the world
today
role
on
play
an
Earth
important and
face
enormous challenges based on human behaviours.
Most bats spend summers in trees, under bridges or in old buildings, where they give birth and rear their young. As forests are cleared, their natural habitat is lost. They can find their way into the eaves of your house or attic. You can provide an alternative shelter for them by placing a bat house in your garden, and they will reward you.
Here is why you want a bat house in your space -
Over 500 plant species rely on them to pollinate their flowers. A
single
bat
can
capture
500–1,000
mosquitoes in one night. Pesticides will kill mosquitoes and, they harm
the
Earth
and
all
life
on
it.
That
includes you, your family and mosquitoes predators - our little bat friends.
A bat house is similar to the space between a tree's
bark
and
its
trunk.
Narrow
and
tight
spaces help keep them warm. The outside of the box should be rough to make it easier for them to use.
Butterfly Houses Butterfly houses in the garden have
narrow
slots.
The
jury
is
out on their usefulness. Unlike nesting
birdhouses
houses,
it's
provide
temporary
butterflies. garden
thought
Maybe
fairies
use
or
bat
they
can
shelter some them
for tiny
too?
Frequently used as feeders with sugar water on a sponge at the bottom.
BirdHouses Not
all
birds
will
use
birdhouses. However, some will, so it is worth trying it out if you like and want to attract birds. Place it on a post
or
in
a
elevated
face
or
space
minimum meters
tree
of
5
high.
the
at
feet If
opening
other a
or
1.5
possible towards
the Northeast. A perch can make
it
predators
easier to
attack
for your
homies, so your house does not
need
one.
Birdhouses
go well with birdbaths.
BirdBaths Birds
need
a
fresh
clean
source of water to drink from and bathe in, especially when it's
warm
out.
So
consider
adding one to your garden. It will help your small friends to remove loose feathers, dust and
parasites
plumage
and
from keep
their them
cool. Many birdbaths are too deep so stack some stones inside the bath or along the edges to create some elevated spaces for the birds to perch. The stones will also help bees and other insects that visit the bath from falling in and drowning.
Birds, insects and other small animals will benefit from a fountain or pond in your garden. They make excellent focus points in the garden too. Using a solar driven or electric pump will keep the water moving. Like a birdbath, a fountain provides a cooling aspect to the garden and will provide much needed respite for small garden friends like dragonflies when the temperatures are high. Ponds will allow you to provide habitat for koi or other water plants and friends too.
Bug
hotels
serve
practical
purposes
to
shelter
our
bug
friends,
whilst fairy houses are beautiful gifts to unseen beings. Both add a whole
new
dimension
of
mystery
to
your
garden.
You
can
make
insect hotels using wood frames or even clay pots. Many bees and other insects lead solitary lives and do not live in hives or in groups and
seek
shelter
in
winter.
All
kinds
of
insects
need
shelter
in
winter. Insect hotels need some depth. You can use stones, reeds, bamboo, sticks, twigs, logs, bark, leaves and wool as well as
masonry blocks. All of these materials bode well in bug hotels. Fairy Gardens can be built around the base of a tree or even in a bowl. Both of these projects will unleash your imagination.
Statues & Sculptures Hidden amongst the plants or displayed as a centerpiece, statues and sculptures can be used for sacred space, for fun or surprise. Whimsical gnomes and fairies create a fun and playful atmosphere. Angels or other statues of sacred figures can add another dimension to your space. For me, I do yoga outside surrounded by plants and facing a statue of Shiva. It makes it special for me. Choose what makes you happy.
Containers & Furniture
More questions and answers segments coming up. Gardening is an investment in your time, energy and money too, so take the time to dream, plan and build it.
Q&A Containers What types of containers will you use for your
plants?
Are
the
garden
containers
fixed or movable? Small or large?
What
shape and size will they be – rectangular window boxes, square pots, round pots, hanging baskets, or hay feed baskets?
Q&A Focal Points Would
you
like
to
create
a
focal
point
with a small fountain? or a birdbath? or a gazing ball? You can have more than one focal point.
Q&A Furniture Can you fit or do you want a small patio table and chairs to enjoy your
space?
Or
would
you
like
a
larger
table
to
entertain
garden? Or perhaps a hammock? Or even a tire swing?
Q&A Privacy Do you want to create a nook, a special place
to
sit
and
read
or
relax?
a
meditation space or whatever meets your needs? Or do you need to block adjacent homes or do you want to create privacy through
planting
shurbs
and
maybe a simple bamboo panel?
bushes
or
in
the
Plant Types
Annuals
Annual plants complete their life cycle within one growing season. That
season
perennial
is
determined
plants
can
be
by
grown
the as
climate
annuals
in
of
a
location.
locations
Some
where
the
climate does not support a continuous life cycle - germination, reproduction, and death. There are two sub-classifications of annuals; summer
annuals
germinate summer
and
during
to
winter
spring
autumn.
annuals.
to
Winter
Typically,
early
summer
annual
seeds
and
summer mature
germinate
annuals by
late
during
the
autumn and mature during the spring or summer of the following calendar year.
Perennials Perennial plants are plants that live for more than two years. They have periods of dormancy in some climates. Most perennials are herbaceous plants with leaves and stems that die to the ground at the
end
survive
of
the
from
growing
one
season
growing
or
season
woody-stemmed
to
the
next.
plants
There
are
that more
subtleties to their classification but what's important to know is that most will flower over many seasons in their lifetime and some will not flower in their first season.
Biennials A
biennial
plant
is
a
flowering
plant that can take two to three years to complete its life cycle. It
will
experience
dormancy months.
during
periods the
of
colder
Q&A Attracting Aliens Would
you
butterflies
like and
to
other
attract
birds,
beneficial
bees,
insects
to
your garden?
Q&A What to plant Veggies, flowers, herbs, annuals, perennials, small shrubs – Do you want
to
grow
your
own
food?
Or
would
you
like
big
bunches
of
colourful flowers? or perhaps a combination of both? Will you buy plants that are already started or grow your own from seeds? Check out the plant lists in this book to get started. You'll find images with plant names and lists further along in this guide. Now clearly you can't fill out your lists in this ebook but I left some of the lines here as a simple reminder to grab your notebook (or just buy the print spiral-bound planner :-) ) and jot down the plants you like.
Annuals, Biennials, Perennials
Herbs, Shrubs, Bushes & Trees
How much money would you like to invest initially and over a period of time? It's okay to
start
small.
containers
and
You
can
add
furniture
features,
over
time.
Attracting beautiful insects and connecting with nature is priceless. Your budget will be a guide but also a work in progress. You can break it down into projects or garden beds. You can start seeds and do plant exchanges with your friends and neighbours. Decide on an amount you want
to
invest.
You
don't
need
to
buy
every
garden
product.
For
example, you can pass on buying plastic seed starting kits (besides plastic is not eco friendly and a real problem) and use egg cartons and eggshells to start seeds. You have many options.
Go back to the Q&A section if you need to and answer the questions posed in planning. You might need other items so continue reading to see what else to consider.
Soil, Rocks, Gravel, Sand, Compost or Other Materials You may need soil, rocks, gravel, compost or other materials to build beds or even a privacy screen.
Plants
Consider
how
much
you
are
willing
to
spend
on
annuals, perennials, bushes, shrubs and trees. You can economize by buying smaller sized plantings or invest in a few more mature plants and shrubs. You can buy annual seedlings or plant from seed yourself. You can also exchange seeds and plants with your friends and family too.
Tools that I have or need: Highlight the items you already have or list them and make note of any other items you might need or would like to acquire over time. If you have a container garden or small garden, generally you won't need large tools Rakes Shovels & Spades Plant Cutter or Pruning Shears Wood Saw Broom Small brush and dustpan Wheelbarrow
A
spade
is
shorter
and
has
a
flat blade and is used to scoop up
and
sand,
move soil,
Whereas,
a
materials compost,
shovel
is
like etc.
longer,
Add a watering can to your tool list. One of the most important tools - without water there is no life.
angled, and its blade is curved Small plant cutter is referred to into
more
of
a
scoop
that
is as a garden pruner or secateur
better
for
digging
and and
breaking
apart
is
used
for
cutting
and
branches
and
more snipping
smaller
flowers.
You
challenging areas. can
also
get
a
larger size (shown on the right) for thicker more difficult tasks. Next level up would be a small hand saw.
Using colour in your garden The next few pages are examples of how colour is used in a variety of garden beds. Following that we have an experiment and a refresher on colour. In the physical planner you can cut out the blocks with different hues of colour but obviously that's not a thing here in an e book. So let them sink in visually and if you have markers or coloured paper
you
can
experiment
with
that
or
simply
nursery and hold up plants next to one another.
go
to
your
plant
Colours One thing to remember is that we can only see some of the colours in a spectrum of light. That's what we're considering here. Bees and dogs
and
other
beautiful
creatures,
on
the
other
hand,
can
see
ranges determined by their anatomy that are visibly different from humans. Many flowers have distinctive ultraviolet colour patterns that are invisible to the human eye but are visible to bees and other insects.
Primary This
is
where
we
begin,
the
foundation - red, yellow, blue
Complementary
Secondary When
we
mix
the
primary
colours we see our secondary colours: orange, green, purple
Complimentary colours are the primary and secondary colours on the colour wheel that are opposite one another: red & green, yellow & purple, blue & orange.
Black & White In the simplest terms, white is light (additive colour) and black is the absence of light. It's a matter of perspective (pigment vs. physics and the colour spectrum).
There are three rows. Each row has three colours and the colours are distributed differences.
differently You
can
do
so this
one in
has
your
dominance.
beds
and
Notice
borders.
Use
the one
dominant colour and two primary colours. Within the two there are variations from light to dark. Experiment.
Pink, orange, yellow
Pink, orange, purple
Pink, orange, purple
To make the differences clear, I am using the same pink, the same yellow and the same orange and same purple. The differences in the second and third-row are the purple replaces either the orange or the yellow.
The next pages have blocks of hues that you can cut out and play with them. Following the colour blocks is a list of combinations to consider.
Don't forget to
list the colour combinations from your experiments that please you.:
Combinations
White and Green Red and Green Pink and Green Pink and Blue Pink and White Pink and Yellow Pink and Orange Orange and Purple Yellow and Purple White and Purple Green and Purple Blue and Purple Red and Purple Grey and Purple Grey and Green Chartreuse and Pink Chartreuse and Blue Blue and White Red and Yellow Orange and Red etc.
Summer Blooms in order: 1. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) 2. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) 3. Cinquefoil (Potentilla)
Flowering Shrubs & Bushes
Spring Blooms
Late Summer & Fall Blooms
Forsythia (Forsythia) Viburnum (Viburnum) Rhododendron (Rhododendron) Azalea (Azaleas) Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) Weigela (Weigela)
Abelia (Abelia) Camellia (Camellia japonica)
SummerBlooms Hydrangea (Hortensia) Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) Spirea (Spirea) Cinquefoil (Potentilla) Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) Rose (Rosa)
Add other shrubs & bushes in your notebook.
Hydrangea Hortensia
Hydrangea
reminds
me
of
my
grandmother, Sophie and her daughter and my aunt - Rose. They loved them. Based
on
colours blue.
the
can
They
ph
vary can
of
from
be
the
soil
pink,
grown
in
flower
white
to
beds
or
containers and dislike the heat of the late afternoon sun. Your plants will also needs
a
spot
winter winds.
that
is
protected
from
Classic and fragrant Roses This
gorgeous
(shown
and
above)
classic
gives
bloom
passerbys
a
treat as the scent lures them in and asks
them
sensory
to
pause,
to
experience
moment.
This
rose
bathe
in
creating
bush
is
a a
planted
with two others and turns the plain masonry
backdrop
into
a
canvas
of
colour and fragrance. This tiny patch of
land
is
between
a
sidewalk
that
borders a street and a building. Many
roses
summer
will
whilst
bloom
some
throughout
others,
like
a
climbing rose will bloom early in the season.
Vines Annual & Perennial Vines Morning Glory (Ipomoea) Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) Sweet Potatoes Vine (Ipomoea batatas) Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) Clematis (Clematis) Wisteria (Wisteria)
Fruit Bearing Vines Grapes (Vitis) Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) Add other vines you want to consider for your garden.
Wisteria Wisteria Wisteria
is
a
hardy
and
fast-
growing woody vine in the legume family. Plants like to climb, and they make wonderful arbour plants. They thrive
in
full
sun.
The
fragrant
flowers give way to lush foliage. The largest wisteria in Japan is at Ashikaga
Flower
Park
in
Ashikaga
city Tochigi. Over 150 years old, it has
approximately
clusters square States,
that
spread
metres. one
160,000
of
In
the
flower
over the
1,000 United
worlds
largest
known wisterias is in Sierra Madre, California. measures
Planted more
than
in 1
1894, acre
it
(0.40
ha) in size and weighing 250 tonnes.
Annual Flowers
Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) Shade/Part Shade Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) Full Sun Cosmos (Cosmos) Full Sun Pansies (Viola) Part Shade Marigold (Tagetes) Part Shade Woolflowers or Cockscomb (Celosia) Full Sun Petunia (Petunia) Full Sun Lobelia (Lobelia) Full Sun Zinnia (Zinnia) Full Sun New Guinea Impatiens (Impatiens) Part Sun to Shade Spider Plants (Cleome) Full Sun Fuchsia (Fuchsia) Sun Nicotiana (N. alata) Part Sun to Shade
Mixed Flowers (annual, perennial, biennial)
Some plants on this list either have variations that can be perennial, annual or biennial or some plants depending on your area and garden conditions can be grown as annuals or perennials due to climate.
Scabiosa (Scabiosa columbaria) Sun Forget-me-Not (Myosotis) Part Shade Calla Lily (Zantedeschia) Sun Wood Sorrel (Oxalis) Shade Begonia (Begonia) Shade Russian Sage (Lathyrus odoratus) Full Sun Dahlia (Dahlia) Full Sun Salvia (Salvia) Full Sun Liatris (Liatris spicata) Full Sun Allium (A. cristophii, A. giganteum, A. hollandicum) Full Sun
Succulents
Hens & Chicks (Sempervivum) Jade Plants (Crassula ovata) Echeveria (Echeveria derenbergii) Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe longiflora) Stonecrop (Sedum)
Dahilas Dahilas One of the most prolific and hearty plants that will bring you quick results, bushy,
flowers,
tuberous,
tubers. come
cut
They
in
a
and
a
visual
herbaceous
attract
variety
perennial
pollinators
of
colours
feast
by and
are
dahilas.
plants
their petal
that
beautiful shapes.
Dahlias grow
colours. Dig
up
are
from They and
overwinter in trays indoors in zones 0-6. Otherwise they can be left in the ground.
Calla Lily Zantedeschia
Begonia Begonia
Wood Sorrel Oxalis
Salvia Salvia
Coleus Coleus
This ornamental's flowers are not
very
showy
but
their
leaves are spectacular. Coleus comes in a variety of colours from
a
bright
fuchsia
and
green leaf to autumnul tones of
red.
There
are
numerous
colours available and will fill in areas quickly. A great additive to an annual bed of flowers. In cooler climates it is grown as an annual.
One of the best things you can do for your health is to dig in the dirt, plant flowers and enjoy the sensory delights flowers and plants bring to us. The colours, the fragrance, textures of the plants themselves and the space we create for the garden can bring us to a place of peace. These are the rewards of gardening. It’s also true, that digging in the dirt can increase feelings of wellbeing.
There
are
microbes
that
increase
serotonin
which
in
turn
increase joy. Their relationship with humans reminds us that there is more
to
gardening
than
meets
the
eye.
Plus,
gardening
gets
our
bodies moving and we get to enjoy the reward of gorgeous blooms throughout the seasons.
The following list of perennials is in order of bloom succession. This list is for a variety of zones but warmer and ultracold climates may have some modifications to the list. Based on four changing seasons (zones 3-7) this list should help to guide you to plant perennials that will bloom throughout the year.
First Blooms of Spring 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Primrose (Primula sp.) Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens) Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis, d. eximia) Columbine (Aquilegia sp.) Moss Pink (Phlox subulata) Basket-of-Gold (Alyssum or Aurinia saxatile)
Mid-later Spring Flowers 7. German Bearded Iris (Iris sp.) 8. Siberian Iris (Iris sp.) 9. Tree Peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) 10. Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) 11. Coral Bells (Heuchera sanguinea) 12. Oriental Poppy (Papaver Orientale) 13. Bellflower (Campanula sp.) 14. Astilbe (Astilbe sp.) 15. Lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus)
Early to Mid Summer Flowers 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29.
Daylilies (Hemerocallis sp.) Phlox (Phlox paniculata) Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata) Gaillardia, Blanket Flower (Gaillardia x Grandiflora) Lily (Lilium regale, l. candidum, l. lancifolium) Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) Rudbeckia (Rudbeckia sp.) Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia sp. Aka Tritomia sp.) Bee Balm (Monarda sp.) Delphinium (Delphinium elatum, Delphinium x belladonna) Balloon Flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) Yarrow (Achillea sp.) Bugloss, Alkanet (Anchusa sp.) Evening Primrose (Oenothera sp.)
Late Summer & Early Fall Flowers 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39.
Aster (Aster sp.) Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum sp.) Japanese Anemone (Anemone japonica) Showy Sedum (Sedum sp.) Hosta Plantain Lily (Hosta sp., H. sieboldiana) Bergenia (Bergenia lingulata) Blue Fescue (Festuca species) Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) Hardy Cactus (Opuntia pyracantha) Foxglove (Digitalis sp.) (biennial)
Intermingled with images and the names of the plants on this list, you'll find some planting tips and facts about many but not all of the plants on this list.
First Blooms Primula commonly called primrose comes in a variety of colours and is a shade-loving early spring delight. They can be naturalized in grassy areas and can be used in garden beds, borders or containers. Iberis
sempervirens
also
known as candytuft produces sweet fragrant flowers and is frequently used as a ground cover. Once the flowers fade you
are
left
with
evergreen
foliage. Dicentra eximia
spectabilis
is
a
shade.
and
must-have
Bleeding
flowers
look
like
d. for
heart
a
delicate
heart. Choose from all white flowers or soft pinks to deep rich pinks and purples. Their leaves are delicate yet showy. Aquilegia known
sp.
as
is
commonly
columbine
can
be
started from seed, flowering in
the
will
second
drop
year.
and
Seeds
germinate
around your first plants. Phlox subulata comes from a large
family
and
in
this
grouping moss pink is shown. This
is
a
and
is
available
pinks,
groundcover
whites
in
plant
purples,
and
other
colours. Basket-of-Gold Aurinia
Alyssum
saxatile
is
not
or the
annual plant known as sweet alyssum.
This
is
the
early
spring blooming perennial.
Tip: Always add annuals in-between at the appropriate time to fill in the gaps and for continuous bloom once these have passed their blooming season.
Iris & Peonies Iris x germanica and Iris x hollandica are the two types of plants most commonly known. Iris plants are either rhizomes or bulbs, the dutch irises are from bulbs and are smaller and more delicate. The rhizome plants create a paler green cluster of straight firm leaves. The flowers shoot up from that clump of leaves. In some temperate zones, you can leave them to overwinter without protection. Given enough space, each year there will be more and more plants and flowers produced. If you need to divide them or transplant them, it is best to wait until early fall. If you need to do it sooner, then do it after they flower. If you chose to do it after they flower, it is best to wait
for
them
to
wither
since
like
tulips
nutrients for the next year
Peonies
are
fragrant
beau-
tiful flowers that can be cut. Once
established,
grow
for
many
they
years.
can
Some
plants are known to be over 100
years
old.
symbiotic ants.
open
actually
and
their
produce nectar,
help
and to
care
for
is
ants.
to
Peonies
amounts
this
a
with
them
blooms.
small
appealing
have
relationship
Ants
peonies
They
of
quite
Ants
eat
the nectar to help open their flower
buds.
Ants
do
not
harm the plants, and in fact, they
eat
would
many
attack
insects
the
plant.
that Let
nature work its magic.
Tip: Before taking peony flowers into your home, simply turn them upside-down in a bucket of water to get the ants off. Don’t let them drown! Quickly dump the bucket and let them get back to their business.
they
will
be
producing
Heucheria, Poppy and Bellflower Some flowers like poppies can be challenging in a city balcony or
rooftop
garden
micro-climates They
will
do
due
they
better
to
the
create.
in
ground
level gardens in beds. A
Heucheria's
Coral
Bells
they
real
are
are
However,
flowers notable
early
their
show.
since
bloomers.
leaves
They
aka
will
are
the
flourish
and grow to provide you with year-round
beauty.
They
also
come in different coloured leaf varieties
including
a
red-
leafed plant. Bellflower's grouping
are of
from
a
large
plants
called
Campanula which means "little bell"
in
includes
Latin. over
The 500
genus species.
Later in this list, you'll find one of
the
most
popular
varieties
known as Platycodon.
Astilbe & Lupine Astilbe
flowers
come
in
white
or
pink
and
reds.
They
are
shade
lovers and their foliage is delicate looking. Lupine is a little more fragile and harder to establish, however once established it is happy and the rewards are endless.
Daylilies or Hemerocallis Daylilies or Hemerocallis come in a variety of colours and bloom from 1-5 weeks. The most well-known are the orange daylilies, and they are edible too. Both the flowers and the rhizomes have long been known as a staple in Chinese cuisine.
true Lily or Lillium Lilium or lilies - not to be confused with the daylily - come in a variety of colours and are fragrant and beautiful. There is also a variety that is a deep orange colour. They are available commonly in white and pink. Unlike daylilies which grow from rhizomes, lilies are bulb flowers and are fairly easy to grow. Returning each year, Lillies will sometimes create small bulblets along the flower stems which you can plant as well.
Phlox, Coreospis & Tritoma Phlox,
unlike
the
ground
cover
that
blooms in early spring, this version of phlox is tall with long-lasting flowers.
Coreopsis, commonly called tickseed, is
soft
and
whispy
and
grows
quite
well in almost any conditions.
Tritoma or Red Hot Poker plants are a delightful variation from other plants. Native
to
varieties
Africa,
and,
there
once
are
several
established
will
thrive.
Daisylike Flowers In this section are three daisy-like flowers. They are the Shasta Daisy which
technically
Blanket
flower
is
aka
a
chrysanthemum,
Galliardia
will
Rudbeckia
continue
to
and
bloom
Gaillardia. from
early
summer to early fall. Although you don’t have to deadhead them, your garden will look better if you do. They are a perennial plant in the sunflower family. Rudbeckia is also known as Black-Eyed Susan and is native to North America and is in the sunflower family. This perennial is generally quite hardy and around the three-year mark will require division.
Monarda, Delphinium & Platycodon (bee balm, delphinium & balloon flower) I
think
this
group
with
Monarda
(bee
balm),
Delphinium
and
Platycodon (balloon flower) showed here are some of my all-time favourite
plants.
Monarda,
of
course,
attracts
bees.
Bees
LOVE
them. So when you are planning a butterfly and bee garden, these
Monarda/, Delphinium & Platycodon continued are
an
absolute
must.
Besides,
bees
need
our
help
right
now.
Delphinium is stunning, and these are some of the closest to blue colours you can find naturally. The balloon flower- Platycodon - is the second plant in this list in the family Campanula.
Achillea, Anchusa & Oenothera (yarrow, bugloss & evening primrose)
The last three in this grouping are probably the wildest looking of the flowers shown here. Yarrow commonly flowers from May through July
and
is
sometimes
used
as
a
healing
tonic.
Be
sure
to
read
everything you can before eating flowers or plants – some require more care than others. Bugloss is a type of borage that is a bee and butterfly attractor as well. One of my favourites they provide a lot of interest in a garden. Evening primrose is naturalized and grows wild throughout North America. Primrose oil is produced from this plant and known to help with some skin disorders and aid in some women’s health issues.
Aster, Chrysanthemum & Japanese Anemone The
flower
heads
on
this
Aster
plant
look
surprisingly
large.
However, in real life, the flower heads are much smaller. Aster's are prolific
bloomers
and,
clustered
together,
make
a
spectacular
display especially as some of the other flowers start to wilt away. A must-have, they are a hardy group and will continue to delight you each year as they return. In fact, they might even surprise you as their subtle but stunning beauty grows into a full-blown love affair year after year. One
of
the
most
common
and
known
flowers
of
fall
is
the
Chrysanthemum. It is used to decorate graves and tombs on the Day of the Dead in Eastern Europe. There is a sea of colour and immense beauty in the market come October. They will return each year but can get scraggly so be sure to feed them and care for them, pruning them in early to late spring. Anemone
japonica
forming
in
clumps
is
a
delicate
surprise.
In
Chinese, they are called da po wan hua hua, meaning "broken bowl flower. "I have planted them and forgotten about them, and later in the season, much to my surprise, discover them.
Late Bloomers & Flowering Cactus Don’t let this image deceive you. Shown here is a magnified version of the sedum plant's flowers. Sedums are succulent plants, and their flowers are small and often in clusters. They like the sun and are hardy. Both Bergenia and Digitalis (foxglove) have not taken root in any versions
of
my
companions
gardens
have
shared
through my
home
the and
years.
Since
gardens
with
little me,
I
fur have
always been concerned about Digitalis. It is highly toxic. Although I do keep a poisonous plant, Oleander, in my garden and overwinter it in my house its habit is quite different than foxglove. Oleander is a bush. As for Bergenia, it never made it in because it wasn't readily available?
Looking
at
its
beautiful
five-petal
blooms
clustered
together I’m intrigued.
The beautiful and common perennial plant Hosta or plantain lily is quite different in many ways from other "Lilies" and gets overlooked sometimes. When used on the edges of garden beds, its' edges can get mangled by foot traffic as the plants' pretty green leaves spill over the edge. Even with the abuse, it returns year after year. It loves shade and part sun and provides years of beauty increasing in size and beauty as time passes. With darker leaves, other larger varieties are stunning. Depending on the variety it can bloom earlier.
Opuntia
did
grow
in
my
rock
garden when I had a house that was
built
on
a
hill.
The
prickly
pear’s thorns were tiny and they really hit a nerve when one got stuck
in
you.
The
fruits
are
edible but I think making a jam or something might be the way to go and they just seem like too much
trouble
prepare
to
eat.
to
pick
and
However,
don’t
pass up growing this beauty. It attracts a variety of insects and the flowers look spectacular and delicate
against
the
nature of the plant itself.
prickly
Annual Tasks At
the
end
important
of
info
the to
growing
remember
season for
the
each
year,
next
list
growing
any
tasks
season.
or
What
plants did well? Do any need to move or are some hidden amongst the others? Do they need to be divided? Do any clumping rhizomes need to be divided or do any of your plants need to be pruned? Are there any changes you want to make in the spring or early summer or fall? Are there any new plants you want to add? Will you collect seeds and so on?
Tracking Your Plants The
spiral-bound
printed
version
includes
all
of
what’s
presented
here and over 135 pages to record your plants and track your goals, etc.
I’ve
included
reference
them
examples
and
record
of
2
your
of
the
plants
pages and
here
so
experiences
you in
can your
notebook. They include a My Plants page and one of the tracking pages that accompanies the monthly calendar.
My Plants Page Name: Type: Annual, Bi-annual, Perennial Light: Shade, Partial Shade, Sun, Full Sun Notes:
Soil Challenges Pests & Diseases
Propagation by division, seed, etc.
Location: Star Ratings: 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
Goals & Observations In
my
planner,
simplified
I’ve
page
included
to
doodle,
monthly to
write
calendar your
pages
to-do,
but
to
also
list
a
your
observations and goals and checkboxes to note watering days and feeding. Here’s basically what it looks like -
TOP 3 GOALS
TOP 3 OBSERVATIONS
PROJECTS & GARDEN TASKS
WATERING & FEEDING Check off the days you watered the garden and mark an F when you fed your plants
1
2
3
NOTES
4
5
6
16
17
Make
7 18
note
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
19
20
21
22 23
24
25
26
of
things
like
extreme
weather,
gathering, pests, turning the compost pile, etc.
27
seed
28
29 30 31
planting
or
Final thoughts Finally I will wrap it all up with this, the why I wrote this book and created a planner -
Gardening,
even
on
a
small
scale,
is
soul-
soothing. It teaches patience and allows you to practice kindness as you care for and look after your plant friends. Words simply cannot fully explain just how beneficial it is to keep a garden.
Gardening
is
a
soothing
balm
that
cures stress and works as a preventative to more
stress,
keeping
you
in
the
now,
nurturing not only your mind but body and soul too. Yes! It is worth repeating because gardening is much like meditation or yoga, or other being.
practices We
can
since go
it
impacts
deeper
into
our
it
whole
when
we
create spaces for our vegetables or flowers to grow.
If you liked this book, leave a review and tell your friends and family about it. Thanks for your support. You can find other books and workbooks by Amy Adams on the Mindful Soul Center’s website.
https://themindfulsoulcenter.com/ Don’t hesitate to contact me at amy@themindfulsoulcenter.com.
Other Mindful Soul Center Publications by Amy Adams
A Garden Planner: Dream it, build it, watch it grow! Gratitude Shmatitude: Don’t just think it, do it! Seven Chakras Workbook
I am also the editor of Mindful Soul Center magazine. It is available in print and digital formats on the website. It includes timeless articles on wellness, self-care, yoga, meditation, art and more.
PHOTO CREDITS Candytuft Iberis sempervirens by Jamain Phlox by Jerzy Opioła Alyssum by Foe Nyx Peony by Rebecca Matthews Coral Bells by Hans Braxmeier Astilbe by Blubudgie Lupine by Jarkko Manty Phlox by I. Epibase Tickseed by Ken Pei Shasta Daisy by Alvesgaspar Rudbeckia by YBG Red Hot Poker By Tubifex Bee Balm by Joe Schneid Delphinium by Stan Shebs Yarrow by Thayne Tuason Aster by Shirley Hirst Chrysanthemum by Kristina Flour Bergenia by Hans Braxmeier Pampas Grass by R. Smith Opuntia by Anton Croos Foxglove by Benjamin Balazs
All photographs listed here are licensed under CC for any use with attribution All other photographs are licensed or the work of the author.
This book was written and designed by Amy Adams. Some of the illustrations included in this book are from The Model Book of Calligraphy (1561–1596)
A Garden Guide is a companion to the two hundred twenty page spiral-bound print guide and planner by Amy M. Adams A Garden Planner: Dream it, build it, watch it grow! Available to purchase from the Mindful Soul Center
https://themindfulsoulcenter.com/a-garden-planner
Mindful Soul Center Publications