2023 Gardening Goals

Happy New Year, we made it to 2023! It’s that time of year when people take a moment to reflect on the past twelve months and decide to make changes. People typically resolve to wipe away regrets and make promises that will make their lives better. A new year means a clean slate, and we are anxious to make resolutions. I learned a few years ago that I needed to start making goals that made me happy rather than ones that created self-loathing. My annual resolutions to lose weight, exercise more, and stop eating sweets would often lead to disappointment when I didn’t reach the desired result. So instead, I started creating goals that will make me happy such as resolving to spend more time with family, try new recipes, and connect with nature.

And what has consistently made me happy besides all those things? Gardening! So, for the past few years, I’ve created annual gardening goals rather than lofty, unattainable, make-me-feel-bad-about-myself personal resolutions. Looking back at last year’s goals, I’m happy to say I met all my ambitions. And I’m thrilled that my 2022 goals to grow more cut flowers, create more bouquets, and make people happy with flowers led to my Whistling Bee Farm & Florals business! But, as a new year begins, before I can plant that first seed or harvest that first flower, I need to set my 2023 gardening goals.

So, here they are, my hopes and ambitions for the 2023 growing season:

Try New Varieties: I love trying new varieties, whether in the flower patch or edible garden, and so this has become an annual goal. In 2023 I am excited to try my hand at planting varieties I’ve never grown before, such as ageratum, statice, orlaya, and strawflower, as well as new varieties of familiar favorites celosia, gomphrena, sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, and more! I’m also looking forward to tasting several new types of tomatoes and peppers for edibles, including a purple snacking pepper!

Make Meaningful Connections: After struggling with feelings of disconnect stemming from the pandemic and the fast pace of life, I’ve made it my goal to make meaningful connections this year. Connections with nature, the plants I grow, and the people I’m growing them for.

Grow the Business: I’d like to continue growing Whistling Bee Farm this year. I want to explore where I hope to guide the business in the future and what I’d like to offer our customers this season. And, with the completion of our expanded growing space, I plan on literally growing the business with more flowers and bouquets to share!

Become a Pollinator Steward: Anyone that has read my blog knows that I am a massive proponent of pollinators. I want to continue to advocate for them, create pollinator habitats, and learn more about how to help them flourish. In keeping with this goal, I have signed up to take Pollinator Partnership’s Pollinator Steward Certification course!

Emphasize Education: I never want to stop learning; there is always so much left to learn! So, each year, I set a goal to continue learning as I grow. By reading gardening books, taking courses, and gleaning knowledge from other gardeners and farmers, I hope to incorporate what I’ve learned into the garden and pass it on to others.

Develop My Bouquet Skills: I’d love to continue working on my arranging and bouquet-making skills and create bouquet recipes that I’m proud of.

Save & Share More Seeds: Another annual gardening goal! Seeds are vital to our way of life, so I’ve vowed to grow, save, and share more seeds!

Stay Active in My Plant Community: I would love to continue to volunteer within my plant community by sharing my time, my flowers, and my knowledge with others. It is so rewarding to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Be Present: It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget to be present in the moment. I want to make sure that I stop and literally smell the roses. Watch and absorb the miracle of a seed sprouting or a bee pollinating. I’m striving to be present in the garden and my personal life this year.

Be Intentional: I want to be more intentional this year with my time and what I do and say at home and in the garden. For example, if I make a purchase, there should be a good reason, and if I plant something, it should have a purpose on the farm (even if that purpose is to make me happy). I want to act less on impulse and more on intention.

Stay Positive & Look for the Good: This one will be difficult but necessary. It can be challenging to stay positive in the world we are living in. I am a passionate person that cares about people and the planet. But, unfortunately, at times, it feels like the negative in the world outweighs the positive. But I don’t want to lose sight of the good. That may mean letting go of the fact that I lost a crop to pests and enjoying that I successfully grew sweet peas for the first time or focusing on bees working in the pollinator garden rather than chastising myself for an ignored patch of weeds. And in life, that means focusing on happy moments and looking for what I can do to improve the negatives in the world.

So, there you have it, my 2023 gardening (and personal) goals! This year is all about growing, whether it be literally with the business and new plant varieties or emotionally through connections, education, and intentions. As my sister, Deanne, so eloquently put it: “No more resolutions-only revelations!” Yes, indeed!