Seasonal Planning

Seasons in the Garden

Garden Sketchbook breaks the year into nine distinct moments—three main seasons (spring, summer, fall) each with early, mid, and late phases.

A word about winter—the app developer (hello!) lives in Atlantic Canada where winter means everything is buried under snow from November to April. So winter gardening just hasn't been on our radar. But if you're lucky enough to garden through winter and feel that winter planning features would be helpful to you, let us know! We can work on it while we're snowed in. :)

Viewing the Seasons

The seasonal interface changes based on your device—horizontal calendar view on desktop, vertical on mobile. Click any season to jump straight there, or use the arrow buttons to flip between seasons and watch your garden transform.

How Plants Behave Through the Seasons

As gardeners know, some plants show up for just one glorious moment (hello, tulips!), while others are the steady performers that keep your garden interesting for months.

Bloom Timing

Different plants have different approaches to timing. Some, like tulips, give you one spectacular spring show, then bow out. Roses last longer, blooming from early summer into fall. And some plants, like certain irises, surprise you by blooming twice—once in spring, then again in fall.

Foliage Personalities

Then there's what happens when plants aren't blooming. Evergreens are your reliable friends— they look pretty much the same year-round. Deciduous plants are the dramatic ones, changing from fresh spring green to rich summer foliage to spectacular fall color. Perennials fall into two camps: shrubs like roses lose their leaves but keep woody growth visible through winter. Herbaceous perennials like peonies vanish completely in winter, then magically reappear next spring.

Reading the Bloom Calendar

Each plant shows you its seasonal schedule with colored bars—violet for spring, cyan for summer, brown for fall. Long bloomers get connected segments, so you can see at a glance which plants will give you months of flowers versus just a brief but beautiful moment. Click the info icon next to the plant name in the library to view the detailed plant information.

Creating Gardens That Work All Year

The secret to a great garden is thinking about it as a story that unfolds over time. Each season has its moment to shine.

Spring: The Opening Act

Spring is all about anticipation. Those so-welcome snowdrops and crocuses pushing through still-cold soil, flowering trees putting on their show before the leaves emerge, and woodland wildflowers racing to bloom before the canopy fills in. Later in spring, dramatic bloomers like irises and peonies steal the show.

Summer: Lush & Brilliant Color

Summer is when your garden shows off. This is peak perennial time—your echinacea, bee balm, and roses taking center stage. It's also when foliage plants like hostas and ornamental grasses really fill out, giving the garden a lush, full look.

Fall: The Grand Finale

Your garden doesn't have to fizzle as summer ends. Fall is when asters and mums step up, maple and oak leaves color the forest with a crayon box, and seed heads become architectural sculptures. Rose hips and berries add unexpected pops of color after most flowers are done.

Winter: Quiet Beauty

Winter gardens are about structure and texture. Your evergreens become the main characters, interesting bark patterns emerge, and those dried grasses and seed heads you left standing catch snow and create winter sculptures. Enjoy a peaceful view and a break from garden tasks as you plan for next year.

Seeing Your Garden Through Time

Here's where Garden Sketchbook gets really fun. Click between seasons and watch your garden transform in real time. Flowers appear and disappear, leaves change color, and some plants vanish entirely. It's like having a crystal ball for your garden.

This is especially helpful for checking if your color combinations work the way you want them to. You can make sure you have something blooming in all seasons, or alternatively pick your favorite season and go all out for a show-stopping display.

A Few Pro Tips

Think in Waves

Instead of trying to have everything bloom at once, plan waves of color that flow through the seasons. Spring tends toward soft pastels, summer goes bold and bright, fall brings warm oranges and deep purples. Let your colors evolve through the seasons, or keep everything coordinated - it's up to you.

Fill the Gaps

It's common for gardens to have a lull at certain times of year: for example, in early summer when spring bloomers have faded but summer isn't yet in full swing. Use Garden Sketchbook's seasonal preview to spot these gaps, then find plants that bloom exactly when you need them to.

Don't Forget Structure

Flowers are wonderful, but they come and go. Your garden's evergreens and interesting plant forms are the steady friends that keep things looking intentional even when nothing's blooming.

Getting Started

Ready to try seasonal planning? Start simple. Pick a season you care about most—maybe you're obsessed with spring bulbs or you want a knockout fall display. Design for that season first, then add plants to support the other times of year.

Or start with structure—place your evergreens and major shrubs first, then layer in the seasonal stars. Both approaches work, so go with whatever feels more natural to you.

Next Steps

Now that you understand seasonal planning, explore these related topics:

• Use 3D visualization to experience your seasonal designs immersively
• Explore the plant library to discover plants with specific seasonal characteristics
• Learn 2D design tools for precise seasonal plant placement
• Export seasonal views for year-round garden planning reference

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