With the new year comes great expectations and planning for spring and summer. Whether it is redesigning a garden or adding new stuff, the process for me starts in January. This is the month when I check websites and catalogs to see what plants strike my fancy. It is also the month when I order the bulk of my seeds. And I am glad this year I did it this week because a lot of what I wanted was close to being sold out. Ever since COVID, I noticed an increase in people gardening and growing food. And I think, it is safe to say that the way 2021 is going so far, people do not think things will get much better. So in the garden we will find refuge. Alright, so what did I order this year? Let’s start with roses… of course.

Plants Ordered: Roses

I am not going to lie— I simply love roses in all shades of pink. They are my favorite. But this year, I am also adding a cream and a white rose, which I do not have. All the new roses I am adding are David Austin, except for Long Joh Silver, which I got from Heirloom Roses. I am particularly excited about this last one because it is said to be for hardiness zone 3 (-40° to -30°). And while it is a ‘once blooming’ rose, the hardiness has Minnesota written all over it! If this works, I will be able to have roses also planted on the ground and not just on pots. This is huge because part of my she-shed wish when we build the new house, is a rose border. So, fingers crossed!

And this is it for plants ordered. With plans for the new house to start in 2021, I am not planning on doing a lot of perennials plantings. So I am sticking with annuals for my garden beds.

Seeds Ordered: Flowers & Produce

When I started my gardening journey 8 years ago, I was terrified of starting plants from seed. There was something so intimidating about the tiny specks that could easily blow in the wind while planting them. Also, because I do not have the setup to start seeds indoors, I was afraid of planting them outside and they would not germinate— all kinds of irrational fears with seeds. Go ahead, you can laugh. I do now. :)

But 4 years ago, I finally started growing from seeds and I have come to learn not only that it is cheaper to start from seeds, but also which seed companies have reliable seeds/plants and which do not. My go-to seed companies are:

• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (Rows 1-3 above) for rare and showy flowers and leafy veggies

• Seed Savers Exchange (Rows 4-5) for produce that I cannot find at Baker Creek. They also have some varieties specific to Seed Savers.

• Burpee for herbs. I am not sure what it is, but the Burpee herbs grow amazingly in my garden.

• Prairie Moon Nursery for Native Plants and Grasses. My favorite thing about Prairie Moon is that they are located 15 mins from where I live in Minnesota, so I know that what I grow from them will thrive in this area.

A few notes about my plant selection:

• There are many great seed companies out there, so it is all about preference. However, I personally stay away from what I call “boutique seed companies” that sell seeds at high prices for mostly the name or that are always sold out because its what all the cool kids are doing. Just my personal preference.

• When selecting what to grow, I usually look for beautiful flowers that are good for pollinators or have a medicinal value (since I am studying herbalism). I also simply love beautiful flowers, especially if they have a symbolism like the ‘American Legion’ poppy. I think it is appropriate for us as a military family,

• You probably noticed a few varieties of Cosmo— that is because I love them. Cosmo gives the garden that cottage garden vibe. Plus Cosmo is a workhorse in the garden, especially Cosmo ‘Sensation’ and ‘Psyche White’. And the more you pick them, the more they flower.

• I have found that Cosmo does better when grown from seeds than if I transplant them from a nursery pot.

• For produce, I stick to what I normally eat, since I am the only one who eats produce in my household. And plants like lettuce grow faster than I can eat them.

• Yes, I also have an unusual amount of carrot varieties is because I adore carrots. I can eat them every single day and with every meal. And after growing Dragon Carrot last year, I knew I had to try other varieties.

• One of the things I want to do this years is save seeds at the end of the growing season, so I have been readings about seed saving. Because that would be even cheaper than buying seeds.

And there you have it. My garden to-do for January is done! What is in your garden to-do list for January?

You may find me joining some of these fun link-ups: In a Vase on Monday, Mosaic Monday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Nature Notes, Dishing It & Digging It, Thankful Thursday, Grace at Home, Wonderful Wednesday Blog-Hop