A Garden Guide: Dream it, build it, watch it grow!

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.

themindfulsoulcenter.com mindfulsoulcenter.co mindfulsoulcentre.com mindfulsoul.center

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