"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Keeping A Garden Journal

Through the years, I have kept many kinds of journals. Perhaps it's because I love to write and I also want something left behind for my "some day grandkids "to read. {: One kind of journal I keep is because it really helps for the upcoming season. It is a garden journal. You can find these in book stores or on line at times, however, I like to "create" my own. Sometimes I use large spiral binders with folders inside.....
Sometimes I use pretty bound journals. I hand paint on the outside and inside. I make it ....me.....my garden..Inside, I write when I plant something....by seed or plant. I write every week or so on how that particular plant is doing, or if it dies. How well it did, when it sprouted, bloomed, and produced. This way I can go back and look over last years triumphs and failures and do things better.
I have a dear friend who sends me articles out of newspapers and magazines covering different things on gardening and on the folks who grow things a particular way. I keep these along with other informative articles I come across in a spiral filled with folders.

I also keep small garden catalogs and tags off of bushes and trees I purchase.



I find a lot of information on the Internet that I copy off and also save.



In these journals, I save leaves and flower petals. I write about when I picked them and where they grew. This is an enormous morning glory leaf out of the morning glories I grew a few years back.



I also make out my garden plans. Drawing where I want different flowers or vegetables to be planted that year. This really helps me to get my grounds ready.





I like to be creative and have something whimsical to also be seen. I either draw a little something or I paste clippings from greeting cards or magazines on the pages. I also attach my empty seed packets on the pages as well.






I found that placing packaging tape completely over a pressed flower, making sure to get all of the air out...preserves the color fairly well. I write what kind of flower is on the page, what color it is, if it has fragrance and how long it stays in bloom. This gives me an idea next year of where I want certain colors in my garden to be.








I also place a lot of photos of the grounds in the journal. I usually pick a new journal each year. If I have a lot of space left over, I will use the journal for the next year, leaving a page blank in-between to show a new planting season has started. I looked over the journals of the years I just started out gardening... and I am amazed at how much I have learned through the years. Do you keep journals as well? Do you keep notes about what you plant and how it turned out? I would love to hear!








22 comments:

Phill said...

Oh, they are just so beautiful! Especially the garden journals. I think the idea of a garden journal is just lovely. I'm going to have to think about doing that. I've noticed that I always try to remember details about my plants and where I found something ... and then I forget.

Anonymous said...

What pretty journals. I have always wished I could be that organized. Sometimes I start a journal but by end of summer, I find that I am too far behind. Maybe this is the inspiration I need to start anew this year.

Lisa @ Life with 4! said...

i am going to do this for my garden this year!!! thanks for the inspiration. it's probably a good idea to know what was planted and when, what works and doesn't work. i like it.

Princess S said...

I wish I was as disciplined as you. I have several 3 ring binders full of potential gardens, I love to look through them and dream...some of the dreams have come true. There will be a day when I will get to all of those ideas floating around in my brain and in my books. I do love the anticipation of what spring brings with it.

Vickie said...

Me, too, Mildred. I started one last year and then let it go by the wayside. I'll try to do better this year! Thanks for showing us yours, Kathleen. It's inspired me to keep it up!

Juri said...

Yur journals are just lovely! What a wonderful idea. I love the garden journal idea and perhaps this will inspire me to try one this year. Thank you for sharing this with us!

Juri

Patty H. said...

How creative!! I just don't think of things like that. Your drawings are beautiful!
You commented "What a pretty view to watch the snow fall!". lol! This view was standing on my front porch, braving the cold wind. It would be nice to have a big "picture" window to look out of.

Anonymous said...

OH how wonderful!!!

You are so inspiring!!!

I have awarded you on my blog if you like you can visit and pick it up!

Have a wonderful day!
Just A Gal...

Paula said...

Dear Kathleen,

Your journals are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing them and all the inspiration. I love to keep journals too. I have one just for my garden and find it to be so very useful in helping me remember what I planted when and how well it did. It is really wonderful to keep a record of our daily lives. Like you, I love to write!!!
Have a blessed day,
Paula

Grammyof13 said...

For sure you are an inspiration with your vim and vigor. To be young again - I'd do things so differently. I was unable to work in my yard last year, but my husband promises to help me this year. My yard is usually THE yard of the neighborhood. I love the compliments I receive after such laboring work.

You are so talented in so many areas - I do hope your kids inherit some of your talents and organizational skills.

Blessings

Lanny said...

What beauutiful treasures you have created over the years. My "journals" are yellow legal pads that usually get misplaced for months at a time, then found again. Journaling has never been my strong suit and I envy those who have such teasures like yours.

TxFarmhouse said...

What a wonderful idea for a gardening journal. I love the journals you've chosen. We're starting our spring garden in our heads now so putting it in a journal is a terrific idea. Thanks!

Unknown said...

What nice journals you have...
You are leaving behind some great works of You for your grnadchildren.. Good for you. What a great inspiration youhave shared.

Connie said...

What a lovely idea, Kathleen. You are so clever and creative to make these wonderful keepsakes. So pretty!

Irma's Rose Cottage said...

I too have started a journal but in no way is it as beautiful and organized as yours. Looking through yours gives me inspiration and I will try to be more detailed.
Thanks so much for sharing.

Oh, I am having a small give away, so come on over and visit awhile.

Hugs :)

Irma

Nancy M. said...

That is such a good idea! Since I am just starting out this will help me to see where I go wrong or right. Especially since I have a terrible memory!

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

Hi Kathleen, looks like you have been quite busy with your journels, they are lovely and good ideas for details etc...
It would be nice if everything came up just right :o)..ginny

Tipper said...

I've never kept a garden journal-but think it is a fabulous idea! I love how you detailed everything-but also make it pretty.

Jen's Farmily said...

I really like the idea of a garden journal! I'm always trying to remember what those 'one flowers were called' or what plants did really well last year and which ones didn't. Great idea Kathleen!

Anonymous said...

what a great idea! thanks!

Paula said...

That sounds like a wonderful idea Kathleen... I found an old book at a flea market about vegetable growing and someone had drawn their garden plot out in the back... it was dated 1936 and it was so neat!!

Vintage Linen Treasures said...

I'd LOVE to keep a gardening journal but don't know where to start. I've keep collecting tags from plants, wish lists, ideas, pictures, but don't know how to organize it. So I just have stuff in draws and file folders. SOMEDAY I'll put everyting together.
Thanks for sharing. I lOVED this post.
Patricia :o)