Keeping a garden diary

As the new year rolls in, why not start keeping a record of what you’re doing and loving in your garden? JENNIFER STACKHOUSE explains how to get under way with a paper or digital diary

Throughout history, gardeners have kept diaries and, luckily, some have been published. I came across The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady years ago, and it inspired and delighted me as it revealed the beauty of a countryside changing through the year. The book, a facsimile reproduction of naturalist Edith Holden’s diary from 1906, is filled with delicate paintings, handwritten notes and even poetry, which all capture country life in the early 20th century.

Also inspiring for those planning to keep a diary is Rosehips & Crabapples: A Rose-lover’s Diary by the late Susan Irvine, a gardener and an authority on heritage roses. Taking the form of a diary, the book records three years in the development of her garden, Forest Hall, in Elizabeth Town in northern Tasmania, and her quest for lost rose varieties. Her first entry is January 1, 2003, and she records many of the reasons to keep a diary (opposite).

When I moved to Tasmania in 2014, I too resolved to keep a garden diary. I’ve always kept notes of flowering times, usually jotting them down in my work diary, along with appointments and to-do lists, but when I took on a large garden of new plants in an area with very different climatic and growing conditions, the time was ripe to create a more detailed and regular record.

The first entry in my garden diary was September 1, 2014, as a celebration of the start of spring in my new garden.

selecting a diary

In this digital age, there are two distinct ways to keep a record of your garden: handwritten or entered on a computer or tablet. You can either keep a diary as a dated daily or weekly record; a journal, which is usually a longer, more detailed record; or a scrapbook with written entries, photos and ephemera such as dried plants, sketches and souvenirs that focus on particular events such as a garden wedding or the creation of a new garden.

My diary differs from those

I’ve kept before because I no longer use pen and paper. Like many people, I now record appointments on my phone, where I can set alerts.

As the starting date for my garden diary was

September 1, which was three-quarters of the way through a calendar-year diary and several months into a financial-year diary, I decided to forgo paper and go digital.

I chose an app that allows me to upload photographs as well as write entries. It also automatically records weather conditions and location, which is handy when I’m away from home. It has a reminder that I’ve set for each morning, and options to save the entries as a PDF file, publish them, or share them on social media. A simple search on the app stores comes up with lots of diary apps, with both free and paid options. While they are not specifically garden diaries, they are easy to use. I use the diary to make notes about what I plant or do in the garden, but it’s the regular listings of what is in flower or looking good, and what I harvest, that have proved to be the most useful. I often refer to these to see how this year’s flowering or harvest time compares to previous years. It’s also where I record rainfall and note any extreme weather events, such as storms, snow, periods of heat and days without rain.

Adding photos to the app allows me to track how things have grown and changed. Even if I’m pressed for time, it’s quick to upload a photo as a reminder of a particular plant or day. More than five years on, and with nearly 2000 entries, I have a wonderful and helpful record of my garden to read, refer to, enjoy, share and treasure.