Hello gardeners!

The start of a new garden season can feel both exciting and, let’s be honest, overwhelming. Everywhere you look, gardeners on social media are proudly showing off their 8-inch tomato seedlings and new raised beds. Seed swaps are in full swing. And yet, in many parts of the country (and right here in my own garden), it’s still too cold, too wet, and honestly… too early to do much of anything.

Sound familiar?

The feeling of “I should be doing more” can creep in quickly—especially in spring. Then you add on the very real weight of climate change, chaotic political upheaval, and wars, and it’s no wonder many gardeners feel paralyzed before they’ve even put on their gloves.

How can we move forward? How do we find joy and purpose in gardening again—without letting it become another chore on an endless to-do list?

Here are 5 gentle steps to help you find your way back into the garden this season

Start Where You Are—Literally

Put your garden clogs on and take a walk in your garden, no matter how small or messy it feels. Look for life: a bud swelling on a branch, birds singing, bulbs pushing up through the soil. Nature isn’t in a rush—it’s responding to its own rhythm. You can, too.

Pick One Thing to Do—Not Ten

It is tempting to write a long to-do list: build new beds, plant pollinator borders, overhaul the veggie patch. Mine was beginning to look like a strategic planning document with a web of project timelines.

Choose one small task. Sweep the path. Top up a bird feeder. Organize your seed packets. Success builds momentum.

Remember: Small Actions Matter

Climate change can feel crushing. You may worry that your garden must be perfect but healthy soil, a diverse range of plants, and providing refuge for pollinators are powerful climate actions. Your garden is part of the solution. Every leaf you mulch and every bee you welcome, counts.

Give Yourself Permission to Rest

If the world feels heavy and you’re tired, that’s okay. The garden will wait. Sometimes the best thing you can do is sit quietly and look at the garden or sit in the garden. Gardening isn’t about productivity; it’s about connection.

Celebrate Small Wins

Planted your sweet peas? That’s a win. Filled a pot with pansies? That’s a win. Topped up the bird bath with fresh water. Win. Each act of care, no matter how small, is an act of hope and healing. Don’t underestimate the power of tiny victories.

Let This Be the Year of Enough

You don’t need to have seedlings under lights or perfect garden beds right now. You just need to start. The garden is still there, waiting to meet you exactly where you are. Let nature nurture you, when you need more rest. It is the natural thing to do.

My garden borders are very neglected at the moment and I am feeling very overwhelmed by the work that needs to be done. I have decided to fill some of my containers close to the house with spring blooms. So even though the garden is untidy, I immediately see flowers, the one thing that never fails to lift my spirit. And in a world that often feels out of control, tending even a small piece of earth (even earth in pot) can be the most grounding, hopeful thing you do.

Come on friend, let's take one small, gentle step forward, together.