2025 Yard And Garden To-Do List: 25 for '25

Here we go:  twenty-five items on my 'to-do list' for 2025.  Just like the past few years, this list includes twenty-five garden ideas, projects, plans and priorities.  Here's 2024's to-do list.  And scorecard (18 out of 25 complete).  Here's 2023 to-do list.  And scorecard (22 of 25 complete). Here's 2022's to-do list.  And scorecard (20 of 25 complete).  

Last year, the seven that I didn't complete include leaf mulch, working the lawn, parkway planting, building an orangerie box, improving the southside entrance landing, being a weeder and paying attention to my tree nursery.   A few of those will persist and show up in the 25 below.

1. Gravel Path Improvement. This was marked as 'Priority Project #1' this year. And, I've already completed about 60% of the renovation. Once I finalize the pizza oven project, I'll use the remaining nonwoven fabric to finish the gravel path.

2. Make the Pizza Oven operational. This was marked as 'Priority Project #2' this year. That means two primary things: hardsurface to stand on (no more mud), retaining wall to hold back the earth and roof over the top (no more tarp). It also *should* mean finishing the exterior (stone) and adding a stone landing out front.

3. Expand and plant the Island bed in front. And add a mass planting. This was marked as 'Priority Project #3' this year. I already expanded some of the bed - more needs to be done. I applied municpal biosolids on top of cardboard to smother out the turf. My plan is to add a mass planting of Autumn Moor Grasses in front of the existing trees and utlize some annuals, too.

4. Finish garden edits from 2024. Starting with adding a mass planting of Hakonechloa grasses in back + alliums around the tree swing tree. Also, need to think about the new/expanded pizza oven bed, too. Also, re-do the 'nook' edit from last year - as I think most things didn't make it. If the Sun King Aurelias didn't come back, re-buy those from Morton sale.

5. Get back in the Japanese Maple game. With a lace leaf. Or a green one. Probably a Korean Maple - like the Northern Glow from last year.

6. Use more coleus as bedding plants. Last year, I learned a lot about sun-tolerant coleus and bought more interesting cultivars at a garden center vs the ones you find at the big box store. And plant out the new front porch bed (extension) with annuals like French Marigolds (again).

7. Add more "Garden Personality". One way is via edging - building a small retaining wall under lindens with posts. Another way is by adding to the 'permanent' fairy garden in the sideyard/by the gravel path.

8. Be a weeder. Just use the push-pull hoe. It is a good way to get out in the evenings to observe what is working in the garden.

9. Build something. Finally put together the Orangerie Box. Or an obelisk.

10. Work on garden "Legibility". That comes from a variety of moves including mulch. And clean edges. Professional, please. “Entrances”. “Focal Points”. Which lead me to thinking (once again) about a moon gate, arbor by the firepit area. Also, a 'focal point tree' in the middle of the lawn. For entrances, it means the boardwalk. (plant the boardwalk a little bit more). And the southside entrance. Do more sedges. It also means thinking - downstream - about that gravel path throught the beds?

11. Keep going in the Front Yard. Extend the beds. Mass plant. Maybe in front of Magnolia. Evergreens/conifers. Use dahlias IB2DWs. Plant a tree (maybe?) along driveway and start in the parkway. Replace the dead parkway tree. Lastly...stake the Saratoga Ginkgo.

12. Create/expand the Patio bed. Probably some mix of shrubs and/or evergreen dwarfs in patio bed. See 23. Lazy bed, maybe - see #23 below.

13. Add some trees. Think about unique/dwarf conifers- Perhaps a Soft Serve Chamaecyparis. Or pull off that three dwarf/upright combo. Or a dwarf Dawn Redwood. Or See #5 - jms. See #10 for a focal point tree. And #11 above for a parkway tree. Maybe a tree between patio/around patio? Keep going on the espalier(s).

14. Vegetables. Bush tomatoes + herbs in raised bed + vertical garden.

15. Lean into what is working planting-wise. Focus on what thrives here vs. introducing new things. Do something about rabbits. Replace oakleaf hydrangeas. Likely with Viburnums. More thujas?

16. Keep going on Groundcover. Epimedium, Angelina sedum, Ajuga and Carex.

17. Upgrade the Lights and Water feature. Gasp...think about a Micropond.

18. Make 2025 another year of Cut flowers. That means dahlias. Disneyland roses. Get these new ones to establish. And nurse the existing ones. Think about an Annual vine - but trellis it. it.

19. Get back to basics with irrigation. Last year, I was distracted with illness and the pizza oven. Use sprinklers more this year.

20. Stay focused by using the concept of Repetition vs. new. See #15 above. Stick with what is working: Buy autumn ferns and ghost ferns. Astibles, Hakonechloa grasses. Moor Grasses, Alliums, Moor grasses, Stachys.

21. Keep going on compost. Fill, turn, use. Also, continue improving set-up.

22. Better annuals containers in back. Garden center vs big box is a key move.

23. Fall project: More Lazy bed extensions. Use time as an advantage. Identify places to extend beds in Summer and smother turf in the Fall.

24. Plot the garden path on the north side. See #10. Don't plant in path way. Start with fabric + edging this year.

25. Plant fall bulbs. Do we think about a bulb lawn? What about alliums?

Some big items (oven), some small (groundcover).  Here's hoping we find the time to get them all done in 2025.