Simply Smart Gardening – Garden Smart, Not Hard

You want more time to enjoy your garden.

But you don’t know where to start.

And at times, you feel frustrated and overwhelmed.

Intimidated, even.

Growing your dream garden doesn’t have to be a tiring, thorny time-suck.

You can feel confident and proud of your garden…

Even if your garden is in open rebellion, with beds ruled by weedy overlords or total plant anarchy where only the hardiest survive.

The solution is to garden smart, not hard.

And it’s easier than you think!

Let’s make gardening easier »

Meet Cheryl Spencer, Your Fairy Garden Mother

Hi! I’m Cheryl.

I’m a certified gardener born with a plant addiction that has no cure.

I believe you can grow your dream garden and still have time to enjoy it – no matter how busy you are.

That’s why I created Simply Smart Gardening. To help you grow a garden that’s manageable, wows your neighbors, and makes your family say, “more veggies, please!”

Read my story »

I’ve been seen on…

🌻You can grow your dream garden AND have time to enjoy it!

Here’s why gardeners love Simply Smart Gardening…

I subscribed to your newsletter because…
“You have so many great tips and a lovely, easy-to-understand way of conveying information. I look forward to learning more from you.”

Ellena busy raised-bed gardener

I’ve purchased multiple products from you because…
“You have done a great job! More than you know. I truly needed the garden journal and checklists to encourage me to follow through with my garden. I have been so afraid to start. But this gave me a new perspective that we all make mistakes, and it won’t be perfect. Just to have fun and enjoy myself.”

Nakiarraa new gardener (and mother to twins)

I’m impressed with the freebie I signed up for because…
“Wow! Your mulching comparison chart has more information than any articles I’ve read on mulching. This is quite a freebie! Now I can stop Googling for info about mulch. Thank you for all your help!”

Beckya newsletter subscriber

Growing a beautiful, productive garden is a grand adventure…

Where should we go first?

Gardening Basics

Get the help you need to start gardening like an expert. No experience required!

Get started now »

Ornamental Gardens

Discover how to grow and care for your flowers and ornamental plants
like a pro.

Get started now »

Edible Gardens

Learn how to grow vegetables, fruit, and herbs you and your family will enjoy.

Get started now »

You’ll find even more help and resources in the shop.

Garden smarter with my most popular digital products and courses.

Get the right things done at the right time.

What To Do When: Monthly Checklists for Busy Gardeners

Take the stress, overwhelm, and guesswork out of gardening with these done-for-you checklists.

Check out the checklists »

Beautifully organize and track all your gardening info.

Smart Garden Journal Pages

Quickly and easily find the important information you need to grow a successful garden every year! Buy once, use forever.

I want to grow smarter! »

Grow more, work less.

Small Space, Big Harvest

The course for busy gardeners who want to grow a wildly productive vegetable garden without all the weeding, watering, or worrying.

Help me harvest more! »

Yes! I want to grow my dream garden!

Looking for gardening answers?

These popular blog posts are a great place to start.

Types of Mulch: How to Choose The Best One

With color choices like red, brown, and black, and materials like wood, stone, and rubber, how can you choose the right mulch for your garden without getting overwhelmed? All you have to do is follow three simple steps. These three steps will help you avoid the kind of devastating mistake…

The Best Lawn Care Books for Growing Great Grass This Year

Almost every home has a lawn. And every lawn needs to be maintained. And you want to grow gorgeous green grass. But how do you do it? Buy bags of fertilizer? Spray weed killer? What about mowing and irrigation? There’s so much to learn! And homeowners need trustworthy, helpful information about lawns. So, I’ve compiled a list of…

Corn Gluten Meal for Weeds: Is it an Effective Weed Killer?

Looking for natural or organic ways to control pesky weeds in your garden? If so, you may be wondering if corn gluten can help. Companies that sell organic weedkillers market corn gluten meal as a natural and safe pre-emergent herbicide. Some gardeners swear by it. While others say it doesn’t work at all. So,…

Top 21 Free Seed Catalogs in 2025 [Flower + Vegetable Seed Catalogs]

Nothing helps cure a gardener’s cabin fever like a thick stack of seed catalogs. As you page through each one, your garden springs to life in your mind’s eye … green shoots poking up through the soil, seedlings soaking up the sun, juicy tomatoes, ripe and ready for backyard dinners….

Rainpoint Sprinkler Timer With WiFi Hub: Honest + Helpful Review

Looking for a quality water timer you can control from anywhere with just a few taps on your smartphone or a quick command to Alexa? In this article, I’ll be reviewing RainPoint’s 2-zone water timer with wifi. This wireless device has everything you need to control and automate your hose-connected sprinklers: wifi…

Soil Preparation: How to Create Healthy Soil

Imagine if you did one thing that could prevent 80% of the problems in your garden. Understanding your soil is that one thing. Learning how your soil affects your plants will dramatically increase your odds of being a successful gardener.

And here are some recent gardening ideas…

lupines growing in a weed-free garden surrounded by mulch

The Best Mulch to Prevent Weeds

After years of gardening, I thought I had it all figured out. But then came what I call “The Summer of the Weeds.” If growing weeds was an Olympic sport, my garden would’ve taken home the gold! It was a humbling reality check. And it led me straight to my new best friend… The best…

What is Full Sun, Partial Sun, and Part Shade? (How to Grow Happy Plants)

The sun can be both a generous friend and a relentless foe. Ever planted a full sun diva in a shadowy spot or exposed shade lovers to the unforgiving sun? You probably ended up with a full sun plant huddled in the shadows, pining for the light, and your shade-lover…

Succession Planting: The Best Way to Grow a Continuous Harvest

Ever wished you could hit the “pause” button on the rollercoaster ride of veggie harvests? I get it – the struggle is real when everything ripens at the same time! In. One. Big. Harvest. There’s got to be a better way. Right? Imagine enjoying a steady supply of your favorite…