Inspiration For Ocean County’s Gardens

Are you ready for the first weekend of Spring 2016? That's right, this past Sunday marked the official start of Spring, and with temperatures in the 70's most of this week, I bet most of us are ready to get started on all of those outdoor projects that have been waiting all Winter. Why not start with some gardening?

March is a great time to get outdoors, and if your garden is a work in progress like mine, it's also the perfect time to start planning this year's projects. Do you have vegetables? Flowers? Containers? There are so many different ways to get your hands dirty outside that sometimes it's hard to know where to start.

Where will you get your inspiration from this year?  Here are a few ideas:

You can walk or drive around your neighborhood and take notes or pictures of landscapes you like.

Visit an arboretum or greenhouse.

Garden centers in Ocean and Monmouth Counties are another great source of ideas, with knowledgeable staff to answer questions and offer tips.

How about websites like Pinterest or Houzz?

DIY gardening shows on TV are a great way to check out new trends and tools.

Your local Ocean County Library branch has lots of books filled with design ideas from gardening experts.

Claude Monet once said, "My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.”  Now that's inspiring!

This Spring you get to start with a fresh canvas,  pick the colors, and decide where they go. You can experiment with light and shade, smells and sounds. Your masterpiece can be large scale, or as small as a container in your kitchen window.

Whatever you choose, I hope you'll have a green thumb and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

From where do you usually get your gardening inspiration?