Making Plans: Thinking ahead to 2027

First things first, have you noticed anything different? No, I’ve not had my hair cut (though I probably should). Yes, I’ve rebranded! All of my articles will now come under The English Country Garden on the Substack app and website - and there are more exciting changes to come, but I’ll tell you about those next month…

I’m not sure how I feel about New Year’s resolutions (I know it’s July, bear with me). Part of me thinks that January can be used as a kick up the bum to start on something that I’ve been putting off, the perfect time to make a change. But then I think, is it the perfect time? It’s cold and dank, and the weather is utterly uninspiring. Perhaps it’s actually the worst time of year for garden resolutions.

Whichever side of the fence you come down on with NYRs, at some point you have to think about what you want from your garden in 2027. I’d suggest that now is an excellent time to do that thinking. The joys of spring are still (just about) fresh in the memory, and the summer garden has stretched its limbs and is starting to flex its muscles. These are the two seasons that are often most important to gardeners aesthetically, as it’s when we tend to spend the most time outside. Therefore, it makes sense to think about changes now, whilst you can see what you’re working with.