With a happy nod to the year behind, try embracing some methods to make your garden work harder and smarter!

‘Tis the season to make those new year's resolutions! Usually, these include more exercise, a better diet, and more rest and relaxation, but what about your garden? With a happy nod to the year behind, try embracing some methods to make your garden work harder and smarter in the new year. Here are some of our top suggestions to weave into your resolution list that will make the upcoming gardening season your best one yet!

How To Make a Better Garden in the New Year

As gardening gurus and plant lovers of all kinds, it's important to keep up on what's new in the gardening world so you stay up to date on any exciting innovations you should start including in your garden care. Whether you're looking to conduct a complete garden overhaul in the upcoming season or just want to add a few new things to make your garden more productive and far-reaching, read on! We have some great ideas that'll get you planning now for the gardening season ahead.

Our Top Resolutions

1. Think Green

Eco-friendly gardens have several benefits: they encourage pollinators, attract insects and birds, and provide important places of refuge and nesting for a wide variety of wildlife species. To make your garden more eco-friendly, consider additions like ponds, bee houses, and bird nesting boxes. Also, consider replacing some of your grass lawn with a wildflower garden or pocket forest to really create a safe space for pollinators and other wildlife! Other wonderful ways to go eco-friendly include incorporating natural materials, adopting natural fertilizers and pesticides, and cutting back on synthetics in your landscape and garden.

2. Watch Your Water

Keeping with the sustainable, environment-friendly theme of resolution 1, water conservation should also be at the top of your priorities for the upcoming gardening season. These days, it's more important than ever to watch your water use. Thankfully, this can be easily achieved by adding simple things to your gardening routine, like collecting and using rainwater or planting a wildflower garden and other drought-friendly plants, such as native prairie and alpine plant varieties.

3. Get creative

Give yourself permission to experiment with your garden this upcoming season! Maybe you've had the same flowers in the same place for too many years, or it's time to upgrade your patio furniture. Whatever revamps or renovations you want to accomplish, this year's the year to make your garden a place that's truly yours, so don't be afraid to add some personal touches and give it a makeover. Repurpose where you can for the environment's sake, but also go ahead and splurge on that new patio set or gorgeous firepit you've had your eye on! Our garden center has a large selection of outdoor furniture and decor offerings that are sure to match any decor scheme, from rustic elegance to refined modernism.

4. Increase Wildlife

One of the best things about the gardening season is watching the endless buzz of insects, pollinators, and birds putting your garden to great use. Try out some new bird feeders this gardening season to attract hummingbirds and your favorite backyard birds, or add a bee box to encourage those buzzing bumblebees to stick around. Other things to add this season for a traffic flow of wildlife include ponds, fountains, and—of course—those amazing pollinator-attracting flowers! Consider planting varieties like bee balms, butterfly bushes, larkspurs, and crocosmias to keep your garden buzzing with activity all summer long.

We know you've already spent a great deal of time this past year creating your perfect sanctuary outdoors, but if you feel like you could use a boost getting into the 2023 gardening season, come visit us at the garden center for ideas, inspiration, advice, and—of course—some new plants! From all of us at Wallace's Garden Center in Bettendorf, IA, we wish you a happy holiday season and a super start to your new year in the garden!