Discover creative garden journal ideas to plan, track, and reflect on your gardening journey. Learn how a garden journal helps with long-term planning, saving time and money, and turning gardening into a mindful, creative practice.
Introduction
Hi! I’m Martje, the creator behind @martjes.journal. I love journaling, stationery, and finding creative ways to document everyday life — including my time on my balcony, because that’s my little garden :)
Whether you have a large garden or just a few pots on a balcony, a garden journal can become one of your most valuable tools. It helps you slow down, reflect, and learn from each season while turning gardening into a creative and mindful ritual.
In this blog post, I’ll share ideas on how to start and use a garden journal, why it’s so helpful, and how you can design meaningful pages that support both planning and creativity.
Why It’s Helpful to Use a Garden Journal
A garden journal is more than just a notebook — it’s a personal record of your gardening journey. Writing things down helps you stay organized and learn from experience.
Here’s why keeping a garden journal is so helpful:
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It helps you track what works and what doesn’t
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It supports long-term planning across seasons
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You learn from past mistakes and successes
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It saves time and money in the long run
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It creates a personal memory book of your garden
Over time, your journal becomes a valuable reference and a creative keepsake filled with notes, sketches, and memories.
Gathering Inspiration and Supplies
Before starting your first garden journal pages, gather some inspiration and supplies. I love creating a small mood board to set the tone for the season.
You might want to collect:
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Printed photos for inspiration
- Pens, markers, and washi tape, I love to use the washi tape from Archer and Olive :)
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Stickers or botanical illustrations
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A notebook that can handle pens and layering
I personally use notebooks from the Archer & Olive Notebook Collection because the thick paper works beautifully for journaling, sketching, and creative layouts.
Planning What You Want to Grow
One of the most important parts of a garden journal is planning. Writing down what you want to grow helps you stay realistic and organized.
You can include pages for:
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Which plants you want to grow
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Whether you’re gardening on a balcony or in a garden
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How much space each plant needs
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Sunlight and watering requirements
Seeing everything on paper makes it easier to plan ahead and avoid overcrowding or impulse purchases.
Arranging Your Garden Journal Pages
Once you have your ideas, it’s time to design your pages. I like to arrange photos, small paper pieces, and notes before gluing anything down. This gives you the freedom to move things around until the layout feels right.
You can:
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Layer photos with paper scraps
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Add handwritten notes or labels
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Use washi tape to frame sections
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Keep it simple or decorative — both are perfect
Sketching Your Balcony or Garden Layout
A garden or balcony sketch is incredibly helpful. It allows you to visualize where each plant will go and how much space you have available.
You don’t need to be an artist — simple boxes, lines, and notes are more than enough. This page will guide you throughout the season and help with future planning.
Tracking Your Harvest
At the end of the season, a harvest tracker is a wonderful way to reflect on your efforts. You can track what you harvested, how much you harvested, and when.
This page helps you:
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See which plants were most successful
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Plan better for the next season
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Celebrate your progress and achievements
Final Thoughts
There’s no right or wrong way to use a garden journal. It’s simply a tool to help you learn, grow, and enjoy the process. Whether your pages are detailed or minimal, artistic or practical — what matters most is that they support you and your gardening journey.
If you’d like more journaling and creative inspiration, feel free to visit me on Instagram: @martjes.journal or check out my last blog post about “How to start scrapbooking” :)
Or see more of my garden journal here:
And if you want use my printable:
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