I remember the first time I saw it, and it was nothing special then. It was September and the previous owners were moving, so the garden hadn’t been tended in ages. And yet, I saw a beautiful eggplant bursting through – large and ripe – and knew this land was the place for us. The sun was shining through the windows and into the paths of the woods, and we put an offer on the house that same day, if I remember correctly! And luckily it got accepted, and we became home and garden owners! This was perfect timing because Scarlet was two at that point, and I was pregnant with Des the same week we got our offer accepted. We knew we were at the start of something special. It’s been a wonderful learning experience since.

I wasn’t born with a green thumb. My mom said I used to help her plant peas at our old house, and I somewhat remember that, but I have learned the most through Cassidy. I remember when he separated his shoulder and couldn’t do much, so I installed the garden’s irrigation system. We’ve done pallet gardening and vertical strawberry rows. We have planted trees, berries, and vegetables. Lately, we’ve been super into shrubs and trees, and that’s been part of our recent projects.

Every year is a chance to start over. So whether you’re starting a brand new garden, starting a brand new project in a garden, or just doing things completely differently, here are 5 steps to getting your garden ready this spring:

1 – Cleanup time! This is always the first because fall and winter do a real number on our land. Cassidy will first clear all the garden beds and pallets and then sweep the branches, leaves, and garbage that has collected on the lawn.

2 – Tool time! Your tools have been sitting around for 9 months or so. You have to make sure they’re ready for the job by cleaning them with soap and water and making sure the handles won’t give you splinters. Maybe invest in new ones.

3 – Soil time! A big part of the cleanup is that bulbs are going to burst out any day now. You also want your soil ready for new growth. Turn the soil over and clear out any weeds. We add fresh compost that we buy a few weeks before planting.

4 – Layout time! We actually make charts to see which fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, and plants are will work well in certain light conditions, and also next to each other. For this, we often turn to the experts at the garden center.

5 – Shopping, planting and maintenance time! Shopping is my personal favorite, although planting is fun too! This year I was all about beautifying our garden with First Editions® Plants. Since Cassidy is traveling for most of this spring, I had to find a solution so that I could upkeep our garden. I love that I found a solution at our local garden center last week.

First Editions® Plants are easy-to-care for shrubs and plants. They create a vibrant and gratifying outdoor space, and are the perfect solution for hopeful gardeners who maybe don’t have a ton of time or help in the garden. I have Little Devil™ Ninebark, Amber Jubilee™ Ninebark, and Strawberry Sundae® Hydrangea. They have 125+ plant varieties! Just look for the purple pot and enjoy their premium assortment of shrubs and trees. I took such care in my selections for our garden:

First Editions® Plants are selected for success! They have been rigorously tested so I feel confident they will flourish this season. I love the wide variety and how much fun it was to find shrubs and colors for our garden. And, they have a guru who can help you with anything gardening. Check “Let’s Ask Amy” out here. And I know I had mentioned about pairing plants together, but here’s a wonderful reference for how to pair your plants. Isn’t it wonderful to simplify the beauty of gardening?

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