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!

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!”

I’ve been seen on…

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

Here’s why gardeners love Simply Smart Gardening…

Growing a beautiful, productive garden is a grand adventure…

Where should we go first?

seedling icon takes you to articles about gardening basics

Gardening Basics

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

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Ornamental Gardens

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

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Edible Gardens

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

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

Garden smarter with my most popular digital products and courses.

what to do when checklists

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.

smart garden journal

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.

small space, big harvest gardening course logo

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.

Looking for gardening answers?

These popular blog posts are a great place to start.

watering can watering plants while away

Watering Outdoor Plants While Away: How to Keep Them Alive

As I was getting ready to go out of town for ten days, I ticked off the last few items on my travel checklist: Sunscreen Boarding pass Fill wine bottles with water Filling those wine bottles was one of the most important gardening tasks I had to do before I left. And I’ll tell…
a packet of seed and seedlings

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…
apple tree branch against a blue sky

7 Best Books on Growing Fruit Trees Will Change How You Garden

Fruit trees are an excellent addition to your yard, but growing them can also feel daunting when you’re new to fruit growing. The good news is you don’t need a large yard to grow fruit… With some careful planning, you can grow productive fruit trees in even the smallest backyard. While some…
woman holding fertilizer in her hands in the garden to explain what is NPK?

What is NPK Fertilizer? And What Does N-P-K Do for Plants?

Has this ever happened to you? You’re standing in the fertilizer aisle of your local garden center, looking at all the packages, and your eyes glaze over. There are too many choices. And you’re not sure which one to buy. When you pick up the first package and glance at the label,…
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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…

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…
a gardener succession planting lettuce

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…
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