Garden Reflections: What Worked (and Didn't) in My Garden Last Year

Introduction

Spring is so close now, and that means it's the perfect time to look back at my gardening experiences from last year. I designed and built a massive garden, complete with 10 large raised beds and a beautiful greenhouse. I also added a log store and a firepit to keep us warm in the winter and on cool evenings. I’ve created a cozy space at our family home where everyone, including my two boys, can get involved (though, being teenage boys in a modern world, they would happily stay on their computers forever if they could). It’s a space where I learn, grow, and where we can make memories together. In this post, I want to reflect honestly on my successes and the challenges I faced, hoping my experiences might help you on your own gardening journey.

Gardening Successes

Overall, last year was a fantastic success! I grew so much food that it was simply too much, and I ended up giving lots away to family and friends. My raised beds, filled with organic compost, seemed to be the ideal environment for both veg and flowers. I am so glad I took the time to watch the sun’s movement through the garden during my first year here to see where it kissed the most. That observation really paid off! Even now, I am still harvesting carrots, kale, and greens from last year’s plantings.

Spinach, lettuce, and beans were the most productive, followed closely by potatoes and peas. We seemed to have a never-ending supply of kale, and we had tender, frost-kissed Brussels sprouts on Christmas Day. In the greenhouse, I grew an assortment of chillies, tomatoes, and aubergines. It was incredibly rewarding harvesting all the fresh vegetables with Luke. There’s nothing quite like watching your children enjoy food they helped to grow!

The chickens also provided endless joy and plenty of fresh eggs, which made the gardening experience even richer. Gathering eggs each morning became a lovely routine, and I noticed how it positively impacted my mental wellness. Just having that small routine in the morning really helped with my depression and anxiety, something I have really missed over the long, cold winter.

It’s incredibly cathartic to sit back now and think about all the warm, happy memories from last year, along with the bright colours from all the flowers I grew alongside the vegetables. I had so much success with a variety of flowers! I planted and cared for a multitude of perennial plants that will find their forever spots in the garden this year now that they are more mature. Yarrow, Aquilegias, Phlox, Chamomile, and Alcea Rosea, to name a few. Plus, I grew lots of companion flowers that worked well alongside my veg, including Marigolds, Nasturtiums, and Alyssum. My dream of a cottage garden full of flowers seems within my grasp this year, thanks to last year’s successes.

Gardening Challenges

Not everything went perfectly, though. I had significant trouble with my tomatoes, which simply did not bear any substantial quantity of fruit. The heirloom varieties that I planted seemed to almost all develop some form of blight, and what initially looked like beautifully healthy plants ended up disappointing me with fruit that was hairier than my legs in the winter. Despite my efforts with natural methods, including companion planting, they just failed to thrive.

Additionally, while the beer traps and nasturtiums as sacrificial plants saved most crops from being decimated by slugs, one crop was completely gone before it had a chance. Who knew that slugs loved coriander so much? They ate through all ten plants in one night and left nothing behind! It's so disappointing when your hard work does not pay off.

I also struggled greatly with motivation throughout the season. With depression and anxiety, maintaining consistency in anything in my life is really hard work. In some ways, this worked in my favour, it meant that nothing ever got overwatered! However, dips in motivation meant that some plants really should have been potted on (moved to a bigger pot) sooner than they were, causing them to grow too slowly, become leggy, or produce a smaller crop than they could have. It’s difficult, even on a good day, to remember that on the bad days, you still have to look after all these living things, even when looking after yourself is hard.

Lessons Learned

This year, I'm making some key changes to help things run more smoothly:

• Not taking on too much – I got a little too ambitious last year, which meant I ended up with more plants than I could realistically manage. While it's exciting to grow as much as possible, this year, I’ll be more intentional with my planting, focusing on quality over quantity.

  
  

• More variety – As much as I love kale, we had way too much of it last year. I’m going to branch out and include a wider range of vegetables to keep meals more interesting and reduce waste.

  
  

• Fewer tomatoes – Last year, I went all in on tomatoes, and between the blight and poor yields, it wasn’t worth the effort. This year, I’ll focus on just one or two varieties that I know will do well in my setup.

  
  

• Better pest control – I learned the hard way that slugs have a taste for coriander, so I’ll be more proactive this year. More companion planting, experimenting with different organic pest deterrents, and maybe even accepting that some plants are just sacrificial offerings to nature!

  
  

A key lesson I’ve learned is flexibility. Gardening rarely goes exactly according to plan, and I’ve realized that’s okay. Letting go of perfection, allowing for adjustments, and working with what I have (instead of against it) makes the experience far more enjoyable.

Plans for the Upcoming Season

Looking ahead, I’m excited about this year’s gardening goals. I want to create a space that is both productive and joyful—a garden that feeds my family while also being a sanctuary for me.

🌿 Grow More of What I Actually Eat:

• Focus on staples—vegetables that are truly useful in daily meals

• Experiment with just a few fun new plants—perhaps one unusual variety or something I’ve never tried before.

🌸 Make the Garden More Enjoyable & Aesthetic:

• Expand flower-only beds to move closer to the cottage garden aesthetic I dream of.

• Incorporate more climbing plants like roses, sweet peas, and clematis to create height and a sense of enclosure.

• Grow a mix of perennials and annuals to ensure year-round colour and texture.

• Plan pathways lined with low-growing blooms like lavender and alyssum for a charming, immersive experience.

• Create a new seating area or ‘garden retreat’—a space to sit and relax rather than just work.

  
  

🌎 Improve Soil & Sustainability Practices:

• Introduce more composting strategies to improve soil health naturally.

• Adding a rainwater collection system to cut down on watering costs and make the garden more self-sufficient.

• Focus on building long-term soil health.

  
  

🌿 Gardening for Mental Health & Well-Being:

• Smaller, more manageable tasks to avoid burnout by setting easier, bite-sized goals instead of trying to do everything at once.

• Embrace the imperfections. Some plants will fail, and that’s part of the experience.

• Use gardening as a break, not a chore. Slow down, enjoy the process, and stop feeling like it all needs to be productive all the time.

  
  

Encouragement and Invitation

If you've had similar experiences, successes, failures, or lessons learned, I’d love to hear your stories and tips! Gardening is always more rewarding when we share and learn from each other. Drop a comment below and follow along as we continue growing, adapting, and enjoying the beauty of nature.

Here’s to another wonderful gardening season ahead! 🌿🌸🥕