IF YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS YOU WILL REGRET IT NEXT YEAR

How often do you wish you could remember when and where you planted a particular flower or exactly which variety it was? The answer of course is to keep a gardening journal so that you can look back over the previous season to see what you did and when. I found an article by Ilona at Hubpages website in which she claims that keeping a journal can even add value to your home. She gives plenty of practical tips on keeping a journal.

A Garden Journal Adds Value To Your Home

Most people think of keeping a garden journal simply for their own benefit -to remember the names of plants, planning ideas, or the location of fall planted bulbs. And if you’ve ever forgotten the name of your tree or shrub, or where you planted those daffodil bulbs three years ago… you certainly know the benefit of a garden journal to yourself as the main garden/landscaper of your home. But did you ever think of how useful such a record might be to the next owner, should you decide to sell your home?

How to Create Your Garden Journal

Suggested journaling methods

There are many ways to keep a journal, and some of them can be combined to record your garden experience exactly the way you wish.

Landscape Notes To Pass On

Keep A Hard Copy

You may choose to record a journal both for yourself and for a future home owner. If you want something to hand over to the next owner of your garden, a hard copy is best. Maybe a less personal version than the one you make for yourself. If you make a digital style of journal, it could created in a word processing program, as an e-book, or even a blog-journal if you have printable pages included.

Keep An Online Record

Ideally a combination can be made without too much trouble, the important thing is to include the plans, names of plants, landscape diagrams, and important plant information, to facilitate future care of your garden ( yes, even you will forget the names and places of bulbs you planted five or more years ago!)
True Confession:
I have a fancy garden journal or two that I never used because they seemed too good to write in! I hope you won’t make that mistake. If you have a wonderful journal with leather cover or pretty pages- go ahead and use it for your own memories and drawings.
I always used simple notebooks, and now that Zazzle has custom look and printed ones you can have the best of both! Simple spiral notebooks now can be ordered with custom covers to make your garden journal special. Use any of the many designs on Zazzle or even create your very own.