Article by Extension Master Gardeners Judy Merrifield and Joan VanOrman

At its simplest, garden journaling is keeping a record of your garden. From there, the
practice expands to offer each gardener a means to creatively explore and record their own gardens, botanical gardens, pollinator gardens, forest beds and unlimited nature spots.
Here in Western North Carolina, garden journaling is a hobby that can be practiced
year-round. Now, in winter, the journaler can explore different terrains, weather
patterns, record pre-season gardening tasks and activities, watch and record sunlight
hours, and photograph or draw their “before” garden beds.

The general practice of journaling has exploded in recent years as a self-care tool to
practice gratitude, mindfulness and to support well-being. According to Brevard resident Renée Trudeau, internationally recognized coach, speaker, and author, “journaling is an easy self-care tool and helps us to tune into and honor our needs.” She adds “find a time that fits your schedule: at your desk before you start work, in your car in between drop-offs and errands, in nature, before bedtime — and it’s amazingly powerful”.

Garden journaling provides the many benefits of being outside in nature. One recent
study, shared by the Mayo Clinic, found that 20- to 90-minute sessions in nature were
most beneficial for mental health, with gardening, nature-based therapy, and exercise in green spaces being the most effective for adults.

The creative practice of garden journaling is a self-care tool for gardeners of all skill
levels. It also serves as a resourceful gardening tool to observe, plan, educate, and
record.

Cindy Decker is a certified Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteer, completing the Transylvania
County Extension course in 2019. She began gardening over 30 years ago with her
family and now often gardens and journals with her grandchildren. Cindy first
experienced garden journaling in a workshop at New Leaf Garden Market, a former
garden center in Pisgah Forest, where owner Hope Janowitz offered a course taught by Jennifer Richardson.
Cindy says, “garden journaling is healthy self-care and fosters spiritual development. It slows people down to appreciate what they are seeing. Jennifer provided so many
ideas, encouraging the use of a variety of materials: leaves, stamps, dotting tools, ferns, and photography. And she encouraged everyone to have fun with it!”

Garden journaling requires very few tools. A pen or pencil and a notebook will get you
started. A solid “starter kit” could include a spiral notebook/sketchbook, a set of colored pencils, a pencil and eraser, and a fine point marker. These items can be placed in a tote or backpack, making it easy to bring along in the garden or a nature setting. Other tools to add as needed or as journaling becomes more routine are a small watercolor kit, watercolor pens, additional pens, and technical pencil. A journaling toolkit is personal and flexible.

Cindy agrees that it is easy to begin garden journaling, “graph paper in a binder works
well. Remember to have your journal with you when you garden.”

There are many resources on garden journaling and nature journaling in general. A
popular nature journaler, John Muir Laws offers resources at johnmuirlaws.com. Many gardening organizations, botanical gardens, and university sites offer practices, tips, and templates.

For gardeners who prefer a digital journal, there are a variety of gardening apps (both
free and subscription) that offer journal capabilities. Two options are: Gardenize and
Fryd. Gardenize is a multi-faceted app with both free and subscription or “Plus”
versions. It is described as a plant care gardening app and allows users to “organize
and create an overview of everything you have planted and where.” Fryd is a vegetable garden planner app. The app shares that it helps users yield more vegetables. The app is fun, colorful and engaging, provides suggestions for getting started with your vegetable gardens and shares popular planting plans.

Cindy Decker offers additional tips:

• document each season in your garden journal
• travel outside your yard to experience a variety of gardens
• at home, capture things in the moment, the weather itself can be very grounding

The benefits of garden journaling are well documented: mindfulness, awareness,
wellness support, education, fun and more. The North Carolina Extension Gardener
Handbook states “a well-used garden journal is a powerful resource for any gardener.”
Yes, journaling and gardening are a winning combination.