Submitted by Winderberry Nursery

As we head into another summer of sticking close to home, let’s take advantage of this time in our gardens and enjoy the spaces that we have created or are in the midst of creating. 

At Winderberry, we have many conversations with customers throughout the spring and summer about how to create their perfect garden spaces. Here is a small list of gardening practices that we continually talk about that make people happy!

Getting their hands in the dirt! There is something to be said for getting soil under your fingernails and digging in your yard or pots. In fact, science has proven that digging in the dirt really does lift your spirits. The digging stirs up microbes in the soil. These microbes help stimulate serotonin production, which can make you feel relaxed and happier. 

Growing your own food! This is fulfilling – literally -, it can fill you up with yummy food and so much happiness. Yes, growing your own food can be challenging at times with certain plants performing differently from year to year, or pests bothering certain crops, or low seed germination rates and too many weeds! But, when you get to eat the first fresh snap pea off the vine, or pull the first sweet baby carrot out of the ground, or pop the bright red cherry tomato into your mouth, it all becomes worth it. Growing your own food means a different journey in your garden each year. It’s a continuous learning curve and can be very rewarding. 

Being creative and adding lots of colours! We exit the winter months craving warm summer days and colours all around us. One of the places to get these colours is in our yards, and these can come in the form of trees, shrubs, perennials and many, many different kinds of annuals. We have a short growing season here in the Rocky Mountains and consistently see our customers excited for all the spring/summer blooms, blossoms and colours that our gardens provide us.

Planting gardens that attract the birds, hummingbirds and butterflies! There is a large selection of plant material that you can add to your garden to create more of a hummingbird garden. You can choose from annuals, perennials, vines, shrubs, trees, bedding plants, and hanging baskets. When selecting plant material, aim for a mixture of colours, sizes, textures, and bloom times. 

Time in your garden! It’s simple, having time in your garden to prep your soil, to feed your plants good nutrients, to ‘renovate’ your garden, weed and then be able to sit and enjoy it… this is happiness for many gardeners. A garden brings so much joy.

If you are a new gardener or one that gets overwhelmed with the work it takes, then step outside, take a deep breath, look around and pick one project to start on. Just one. Don’t overwhelm yourself and try to enjoy the time you get to spend on that portion of your garden. Don’t forget to take the time to sit and relax, listen to the birds and take in the visual landscape that you have created in your yard, whether it big or small. 

As always, the team at Winderberry is happy to answer any questions and help you create your perfect gardening space.