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.

Simply Smart Gardening reviews

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.

a stack of the best gardening books for beginners sitting on a mantle

24 of The Best Gardening Books for Beginners

We live in an era of instant everything. Instant rice, instant communication, and most importantly … instant-dry nail polish! But one thing that can’t be sped up is your garden. I learned that when my fourth-grade teacher had us start sunflower seeds in a paper cup. I woke up each…

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,…

Weeding Bucket DIY: Simple Solution Makes it Easy to Weed

The best way to keep your weeds under control is to make weeding easier and more convenient. Here’s all you have to do…Make it a breeze to grab your weeding tools. Yep, it’s that simple! And the best way to do that is to stash a DIY weeding bucket (or…

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…

Seedlings vs. Seeds: What’s Best for You to Plant and Why

You thought you were ready to plan or plant your garden … but you’ve reached a fork in the road. Should you sow seeds? Or plan to pop some seedlings into the ground instead? As with so many gardening dilemmas, there is no one right answer. But there is a right answer…

Fall Clean-Up: Get It Done Faster and Easier This Year

I remember how excited I was, as a kid, to see all those autumn leaves floating down and creating a beautiful, colorful blanket on the ground. My mom would rake them up into huge piles on our lawn. I couldn’t wait to bundle up, run outside, and dive right into that…

And here are some recent gardening ideas.

Read my latest articles on gardening!

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)

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…