The Secret to Your Best Garden Year Yet

How many times this past season did you tell yourself, "I need to remember this next spring"?

You meant to jot it down. But your hands were covered in soil, or you were mid-harvest, or wrestling with tomato stakes. Then fall arrived in a flurry of frost prep and garlic planting—and those mental notes? Gone.

Without garden reflection, you’re left guessing: Which tomato variety really didn’t deliver? Why did the basil bolt so early? What veggie variety brought me joy every time I harvested? 

Here's what I've learned working with home gardeners and school garden teams: Garden reflection is where the real growth happens. On a chilly day like today, the best thing I can do for my 2026 garden is make a cup of tea, and reflect on my 2025 garden season before planning my spring garden.  

Why Garden Reflection Actually Matters

1. You Remember What Actually Worked
   Those cherry tomatoes that produced until frost. The zinnias that brought pollinators (and smiles) all summer long. The carrots your kids couldn't believe you grew yourself.

   Without reflection, these wins fade. With it, you build on success.

2. You Learn from Challenges Without Feeling Defeated
   Maybe your soil was dry despite constant watering. Maybe summer cilantro was a bad call. Maybe Japanese beetles decimated your kale.

   Garden reflection helps you troubleshoot and adjust—not judge yourself.

3. You Stay Connected to the Joy
   Gardeners focus so much on tasks—watering, weeding, harvesting—that we forget to savor the simple moments.

   Reflection brings those memories forward and reminds you why you garden.

4. You Make Smarter Planting Decisions
   When you track which crops your family actually ate (or not), planning next season becomes infinitely easier.

Essential Garden Reflection Questions

1. What grew well this year?

2. What struggled, and why?

3. Which crops were too fussy—and were they worth it?

4. What pests or diseases appeared? Which plants were most affected?

5. What did your family enjoy growing and eating?

These questions transform your garden experience into a roadmap for next year.

The Best Time to Reflect on Your Garden

Right now!

End-of-season reflection is ideal because everything is still fresh. You're missing the garden just enough to be thoughtful—but not so removed that details have faded.

And your future self will thank you. Because in February, when seed catalogs arrive, you won't remember everything. And the photos will entice you to try even the pickiest watermelon again. After all - your kids LOVE watermelon. 

Make Garden Reflection Simple

At the end of each season, I guide my garden coaching clients through a structured reflection process. It's how they improve year after year without repeating the same mistakes.

I created the Simply Grown Garden Reflection Journal to bring this same process to you.

Inside, you'll reflect on:

🌿 What worked and 🌱 What didn't

🌸 What brought you joy and 🌾 What you want to grow again

💡 What you'll change next season

It's the perfect way to close out your season with clarity and start the next with intention.

The Garden Reflection Journal is on sale through December. Download it, make a cup of tea, and spend a little bit of time capturing this season before it fades.

👉 [Get Your Garden Reflection Journal Here]

Gardening isn't just planting seeds—it's learning, remembering, and evolving. Give yourself the gift of reflection this season.

Happy reflecting, 

Lisa