The Five Minute Garden by Laetitia Maklouf

The Five Minute Garden by Laetitia Maklouf 

This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is How to Garden in Next to No Time.

Ah, the garden, a sanctuary of tranquility, a canvas upon which to paint nature's masterpiece. Yet, for the busy woman of a certain age, maintaining such a paradise can often feel like a daunting task. Fear not, dear gardener, for Laetitia Maklouf has crafted a delightful remedy: The Five Minute Garden.

Imagine, if you will, a world where tending to your floral kingdom doesn't require the stamina of a marathon runner or the precision of a surgeon. With this charming little book, Laetitia invites us to embrace a more leisurely yet incredibly effective approach to gardening.

Laetitia is a garden writer, a garden communicator, and a content creator, and she's a very busy mom. Laetitia's active lifestyle was the impetus for her to develop ways to maximize short bursts of time in the garden.

Now, before you dismiss her book out of hand and say, "Five Minutes? That can't be done," Laetitia's book may surprise you.

I think what Laetitia's done here is ingenious because this book is packed with five-minute ideas - tasks to do in the garden for big impact. So readers can pick and choose at random what they have time to do or what they're interested in doing. 

Don't forget that we're using discretionary effort when we garden, which means we are making a choice. And while some of us may not be able to get enough time in the garden (as in, we would love to spend every spare minute in the garden), that's just not the case for everyone. I know, I know. But that's just the truth of it.

Each day, she suggests a small, manageable task—a five-minute foray into the green embrace of our gardens. Whether it's sprucing up the lawn with a gentle rake, fussing with snail-proofing measures, nurturing delicate seedlings, or pruning vibrant hydrangeas, these bite-sized activities add up to a garden that thrives without overwhelming our schedules.

The beauty of this approach lies in its flexibility.

Rainy days?

A perfect opportunity to pot a few herbs or plan your next garden party.

Sunny afternoons?

Perhaps a leisurely stroll through the rows, admiring your blooming flowers. No matter the weather or the time of year, there's always something to do, something to enjoy.

Now, of course, not everything in Laetitia's book will apply to your garden. We all have different gardens but never fear — there are plenty of ideas in Laetitia's book. Laetitia's to-dos may spark even more ideas that pertain just to you, which is the whole idea.

If you are at a loss for where to begin in the garden, this book is your mix-and-match idea generator. The bottom line is that you can tackle your garden with little bursts of energy every day. And, that's way better than just throwing up your hands and saying, forget about it - because we all know what happens then - then you're not in the garden at all. Next, the garden grows out of control, and a doom spiral of plants and weeds commences, which becomes a problem for you and your garden and your neighbors. So, I like this five-minute strategy. It's not overwhelming, and it's very, very simple.

The other thing that I enjoy is how Laetitia organized the book. She's used those headings to group tasks together. So you'll see headings like Spruce Up or Chop or Nurture or even Project. Laetitia herself says that she tends to do one activity from each of those heading areas over the course of a week. 

But Laetitia reminds us that the important thing here is to begin - pick one thing at random from the relevant month in the book - and then go out and start on that because at some point, your future self will thank you, and you'll look back, and realize how far you've come in your garden.

Come to think about it, that's precisely what I do with my student gardeners in the summer — just on a bit bigger scale. Instead of five minutes, I'm out there for two hours with between six and eight student gardeners. It's actually not even two hours because we spend about fifteen minutes talking about the state of the garden and the day's tasks. Then, we always take pictures of the garden for the last fifteen minutes and download what we just accomplished.

Essentially, what I'm doing is taking Laetitia's book and then enlisting the aid of helpers. This is how I get things done in my garden despite my arthritis. To me, it is all about short bursts of time and helpers. 

And, you know, taking it slow and working in short bursts is essential this time of year (in spring). Then when you are finished and come back into the house, you still have the energy to do all the other things that need to get done in your life. And you don't resent your garden - that's the last thing you want to do.

Just this week, I was reading posts on Twitter from gardeners I know in England who are out gardening because spring has sprung there, and the flowers and the spring bulbs are blooming. Plants are popping up, and the garden accelerates very quickly. Of course, people are out in force in their gardens, satisfying their pent-up desire. But these Twitter posts are loaded with gardeners who also say,

"Oh my gosh, I went out there, and I totally overdid it. Now I can't walk. I can't move." 

Now, they have to pay the price for that, and they have to take it easy for the next couple of days. Laetitia's approach is not only smart but effective, and it can spare you from potential injury.

Laetitia's writing is as delightful as her gardening tips. With a touch of wit and a deep appreciation for the natural world, she invites us to savor the simple pleasures of tending to our gardens. It's a reminder that gardening isn't just about creating a beautiful space; it's about connecting with nature, finding peace, and indulging in a little self-care.

And, if you struggle with being overwhelmed by the garden and don't know where to start or what to do, Laetitia's book just might be the ticket for you.

This is a lovely little book with an adorably illustrated cover. It's got all these cute little flowers in a garland, and then there are garden tools, like a shovel and a watering can. It's very, very sweet. So I also think this book would be a great little gift. For instance, if you have a garden club, this book would be perfect for giving to a new member; something to keep in mind...

So, dear gardener, let's embrace the joy of The Five Minute Garden. With a little time, a little love, and a whole lot of enthusiasm, we can transform our outdoor spaces into havens of tranquility and beauty.

This book is 232 pages of garden to-dos, organized month by month, so that you, too, can enjoy a five-minute garden. 

You can get a copy of The Five Minute Garden by Laetitia Maklouf and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for around $10.