The Art of Garden Stewardship: Why Good Gardens Need Guidance
Exposed roots—courtesy of an enthusiastic digger. A reminder that unnoticed disturbances can be tough on plants
Dear Reader,
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how often I hear the phrase “low-maintenance garden.”
It makes sense—who doesn’t want a landscape that’s easy to care for? But I think we’ve lost sight of what that really means.
There’s this common misconception that if a garden is naturalistic, native, or ecologically designed, it will take care of itself. That once planted, it won’t need guidance. But in reality, all gardens need some level of stewardship—especially in their early years.
This doesn’t mean high-maintenance, but it does mean paying attention—keeping certain plants in check, weeding, and editing as needed. One of the biggest hurdles I see is that many people struggle to differentiate a common noxious weed from a desired plant. It can feel intimidating to get involved when you’re not sure what should stay or go.
Learning to see a garden with fresh eyes takes time. Over time, you start to recognize patterns—how certain plants move, how they spread, which ones quietly take over if left unchecked. That’s why I love the way Roy Diblik describes cutbacks—as playing the sculptor, shaping what feels truly unruly while leaving the rest until the appropriate time. That sense of observation and patience is at the core of good garden stewardship.
There’s also something deeper here. I keep returning to The Well-Gardened Mind by Sue Stuart-Smith, which explores how gardens shape not just our landscapes but our minds. Even if you’re not your garden’s primary caretaker, simply being in the space—snipping a few blooms, pulling a weed, or just slowing down for a moment—offers its own rewards.
Sometimes, the greatest benefit comes not from what we do in the garden, but simply from being in it.
I love working with gardeners who truly want to learn and engage with their landscape—whether that means getting their hands in the soil or simply developing a deeper understanding of the space around them. Because a great garden isn’t just about what’s planted—it’s about how it’s shaped over time.
More soon,
Ashley
An informal arrangement from the garden
Even the smallest gesture—snipping a few blooms, rearranging what’s at hand—connects us to the landscape in a meaningful way.
photo credit Sue Stuart-Smith
Book Recommendation :
The Well -Gardened Mind : The Restorative Power of Nature by Sue Stuart-Smith
an excerpt from her book “Cultivation works both ways – it is inward as well as outward – and tending a garden can be an attitude towards life … gardening puts us in a direct relationship with the reality of how life is generated and sustained and how fragile and fleeting it can be. Now, more than ever, we need to remind ourselves that first and foremost, we are creatures of the earth.”