Five things I plan to do differently in my garden in 2024

I think in reality it's taken that time to really understand the space. I have really fallen in love with it – it works for us as a family and I feel like I have some balance in my life, but as we know the garden never really stands still and I enjoy that evolution, just guiding the garden.

Making improvements

This year there are a couple of views I want to improve. The first being from one of the kitchen windows. At the moment your eye is really drawn to the back gate and, as nice as my new gate is, I want to add to the foreground, something that is strong, so I’m going to add a raised pool at the side of the second set of steps, which will not only provide a real focal point but also somewhere to perch and enjoy for a moment as you move through the garden.

Second, is one of my favourite areas out in the front garden, where I have a mixed bed of veg, fruit and ornamentals. It's a joy. So a couple more of the larger beds in the main veg area are going to be planted in the same way – this will help develop the seasonal interest.

Next up, it's time to start the real work on the top of the garden. There are two medlar trees that have been let go a little. I don’t want to lose them so first I'm going to lift the canopies, which will not only improve how they look but also create space for under-planting. The whole area needs to have a soft, woodland feel, which will provide a lovely backdrop to the gravel garden.

Lastly (if I get that far!) I’m going to build myself a nice new potting shed in the front garden. Probably in a similar style to my BBC Gardeners' World Live show garden. I think it will have a green roof on it, which will add to the diversity of the front garden.

My five New Year's resolutions

Something for the sparrows

I definitely have had more feathered friends visit the garden and in particular sparrows, so that will be one focus – adding a little sparrow terrace. Just taking a moment each day to watch is a great way of working out how you can add layers of interest to your garden.

Growing some new crops

I'm going to grow less quantity but more varieties of fruit and veg, and just experiment with new ones. Yes, not everything will work but it will help fine-tune what will grow the best in my soil and situation. Plus it makes us experiment a little more in the kitchen.

More herbs for cooking

Herbs are another thing that I have not got a lot of at the moment. So, picking up on the cooking theme, I will be adding plenty – not just to plant in the garden but also in pots. They are a group of plants that don’t need a load of space, and can really make a difference to your day-to-day life.

Creating layers in the garden

I think the garden needs a few more shrubs, just to try and create more layers within the garden – this will help with structure, seasonal interest and habitat for wildlife. I look for areas where I can help bring the trees down into the garden visually. If you go out into the garden and look carefully, you will start to see the opportunities.

Spending more time outdoors

I'm going to cook more in the garden this year. In that department the gardening year got away from me a little bit – sometimes we can be so busy doing that we don’t take the time we should just to enjoy the garden with friends and family.

Let us know your gardening New Year's resolutions. Email us at: letters@gardenersworld.com

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