Accomplishing Major Garden Projects

Have a plan, break it down into small steps, and take action each day towards your goals.

Hello & Welcome, Gardening Friends,

Celia Bedilia is a blog for gardening enthusiasts of all levels. As a neurodivergent gardener, I've found the garden to be a therapeutic haven, a place to process life's challenges. I invite you to join me on this journey of creating a safe and peaceful space in your garden and here on Substack. In these trying times, we all need connection. Subscribe, and let's build something beautiful together.

Grab your Wellies and meet me in the garden.

XO, Celia

I start every gardening season with a list of significant projects I want to complete. This year was no exception. In the depths of winter, when I can only read, study, and dream about my garden, I seem to dream up wonderfully complicated ideas. I have boundless energy & endless strength, from the comfort of my couch in front of the fire. I start each Spring eager to tackle my infinite to-do list. However, as the season progresses, I often find that the garden has its own plans and needs, which sometimes lead me to abandon the list by mid-July. Instead, I tend to the garden as it is, rather than trying to reshape it. I take pictures and think about what needs to be transplanted in the fall.

My major projects for 2025 were to revamp the garden's structure. I began by mapping the entire garden and dividing it into quadrants. This was incredibly helpful for task management. Each year, I pick two or three major projects. I use Milanote to keep track of all of my projects. I find that using Milanote helps me put all of my ideas, images, documents, and notes in one place.

This year, I need to address the edging, paths, and vertical structures. I need to re-edge the woodland garden, relocate the boxwoods from the fire pit to the front of the woodland garden, add arches to create drama and height, and address the garden gate entry path and greenhouse paths.

My first project was to connect my two raised bed areas with a newly created Greenhouse entry. Someday, I hope to build a proper greenhouse and shed out here, but for now, this will do. I had a friend of mine get railroad ties and connect them to the raised beds’ edging. I am so pleased with the results. I then added a small planting area and a wide, inviting path. This will look better once the woodchips have aged.

My second project, which I also tackled with my friend Steve, was a creative solution to the issue of the entry area from the side gate. It involved the use of railroad ties and large crushed stone. Our lot is sloped, and our previous attempts to manage the spring runoff had failed. So this year, instead of just building steps into the garden, we decided to dig a drainage ditch and an entry ramp. This will enable easier access to the wheelbarrow, which was the primary reason for this project.

My last major projects are both underway: one involves re-edges my woodland garden, and the other consists of adding arches to highlight the paths in the woodland garden. I had initially planned to encircle the fire pit with arches of honeysuckle, but it did not translate well from drawing to garden, so I pivoted, and I love the result. Once they are covered in vines, they will serve as five beautiful entry points to the woodland paths. This sounds expansive, but it’s actually a small garden.

I am writing this post to explain my process, but also to keep myself accountable. I need to share this so that I can stay motivated to continue with my to-do list, even as we transition from the endless summer to the end of the summer here in Maine.

Do you need accountability in the garden? Join our community and let’s cheer each other on!

I hope that you are enjoying summer and the privilege of being in a garden.

Best,

Celia