Surrendering to the garden mess
When you plan gardens for a living, it can be humbling to admit to things going wrong in your own garden that you didn't plan for.
But it occurred to me that my role as a garden coach isn't to be a perfect gardener, but rather someone who is able to share experience from having my hands in the dirt, and to show others what I have learned along the way.
I have felt a whole range of emotions from my garden this year - joy and excitement, as well as sadness and shame. Most of the latter has come from the reality that my garden now only gets 4-5 hours of sunlight due to trees in all of my neighbor's yards.. on 3 different sides!
Here are the things that have happened this year that I am surrendering to:
-Growing in part shade causing bare spots and really slow growth in my garden
-Squirrels taking a good portion of what I can grow before I can get to it
-Excessive heat and drought being the main theme of July
Here is what I CAN control, and how I will shift:
What I plant in this space … shade loving veggies! This will become the home of all shade loving veggies, and I will create a new full sun garden for others
To be gained - a whole new set of skills that most gardeners can't say they have tried (because who really would try) and that's learning how to grow a thriving shade vegetable garden.
Fall is the perfect time to see what it can do!
I will be planting it full of lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage, broccoli, and more.
So if you are experiencing any set backs in your own garden, or life, and are surrendering to your vision not matching exactly what you had hoped - know that I am right there with you and hope that something really exciting is waiting on the other side.
🌱 The Garden-To-Table Jumpstart
Inside the class, I’ll walk you through the three things every garden needs to succeed:
A solid setup, the right timing, and small moments of consistency.
These are the pieces that gardeners often learn the hard way, and they’re also the pieces that unlock ease and confidence—especially for beginners.
In this free masterclass, you’ll learn:
How to design a raised bed setup that actually works (so you’re not fighting your garden all season)
What to plant when here in Michigan, and why timing is everything
Why a few minutes of attention truly makes the biggest difference
The exact steps I teach beginners so they can stop Googling and finally feel sure of what they’re doing
If you want your raised bed to feel fun, productive, and doable—not confusing—this class is the best place to start.
✨ Watch the free “Garden to Table Jumpstart” Mini-Class Here
Let this be the year your garden feels clear, grounded, and enjoyable from day one.
