My Rooted and Real Garden Plan for the Season
Every year, I attempt a garden. Some years have been more successful than others — and lately, life has felt a little too full to give my garden the attention it deserves. But this year feels different. This year, I’m slowing down, planning ahead, and creating a garden that feels both realistic and intentional. May the lord help plant the seed and grow a green thumb this year.
Choosing What to Grow
When I sat down to plan, I started by looking at the foods our family actually uses most.
We go through a lot of potatoes, onions, garlic, and tomatoes — the staples that end up in nearly every meal. In summer, we eat what’s in season: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and apples.
Vegetables aren’t always the biggest hit in our house (Shocker, mom life.), but we usually keep carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, and celery on hand. This year, I’m determined to add green beans to the list — fresh from the garden, they taste so much better.
As much as I’d love to grow everything under the sun, I’ve learned that the more I plant, the more care it requires. So this season, I’m choosing to be intentional — growing what we truly use and love, instead of everything I could grow.
My Garden Layout Plan
The Main Garden Beds
I have three large raised garden beds.
- One will be fully dedicated to strawberries. (Let’s be honest — they rarely make it into the house anyway!) Around that bed, I’m adding bee watering stations to encourage pollination. I’m experimenting with terracotta ollas — buried clay pots that slowly release water into the soil — and planning to use the pot bases as lids that double as cute bee drink stations.
- The second bed will be home to lettuce, celery, cucumbers, and green beans. I’ll make sure the beans and cucumbers have something to climb, which keeps the space organized and easy to harvest.
To protect the strawberries from harsh afternoon sun, I’ll add a bit of shade cloth nearby — because I’ve learned the hard way that even plants need balance.
Containers & Companion Plants
Around the edges of the garden, I’ll grow potatoes, onions, garlic, and tomatoes in containers. Keeping the larger plants on the outside makes it easier to tend the raised beds and keeps things feeling open and tidy.
I’m also adding landscape fabric this year — the kind with pre-cut holes for spacing. It helps prevent overplanting (a mistake I’ve made more than once) and keeps weeds at bay. Once it’s in place, I’ll top it with hay or woodchips to lock in moisture. Each bed already has its own irrigation system, which feels like such a gift on the busy days.
The Berry Patch
Near the raised beds, I already have raspberries and blueberries planted. The raspberries have taken off beautifully, so a few will need to be relocated. I’m also planning to add more blueberry bushes this spring — they bring me so much joy and attract plenty of pollinators to the yard.
The “Bonus Garden”
I’m calling this my bonus garden — the one that’s more for fun than necessity. These are the plants I want to grow but know I may not have time for, and that’s okay. It’s part of my ongoing practice of letting go of perfection and focusing on what really matters.
In the third raised bed, I’d love to grow herbs — the ones I use most for both cooking and natural wellness: chamomile, calendula, lavender, oregano, and basil.
At the back of the property, I’m dreaming of a space for the wild growers — pumpkins, squash, corn, and melons. These would be lovely to have, even if the wildlife gets to them first. Some things are just worth planting for the joy of it.
Rooted Intentions for the Season
This year, my goal isn’t just to grow food — it’s to create a space that feels peaceful, manageable, and deeply connected to our family’s rhythm.
Because gardening isn’t only about what ends up on the table.
It’s about slowing down, learning from the land, and finding small ways to nurture something that, in return, nurtures you right back.
Here’s to a season of growth — not just in the garden, but in ourselves.
Because life, like a garden, is always better when it’s rooted and real. 🌿
— Raye
Ever Harvest too much from the garden?
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