Garden Keeping Journal - December Edition
Tips, Inspiration & Checklists for Zone-7 (and neighboring) gardeners
Not gardening in Zone-7?
No worries- you can easily adjust your email preferences anytime to skip the Garden Keeping Journal and still receive all the other stories, reflections, and design inspiration from The Whiskey Porch.
After working with a client to design and create a beautiful garden or landscape, I like to check in often - more frequently at first, and then a bit less as the months go by. The long-term success of any garden really comes down to two things: a thoughtful design and consistent care.
While the installation may be the most exciting part of the process, it’s the ongoing tending (month after month, year after year) that makes a landscape truly flourish.
A garden is never finished; it just keeps evolving, shifting, and adapting with attention and time.
We’ve had a stunning autumn here in the high-country of northern Arizona. At 6,000 feet, surrounded by national forest, tall Ponderosa pines, and old juniper trees, the seasons are distinct and rich. Only last week did I finally tuck my own garden in for the season. Winter has arrived at last - no snow yet, but the rhythm has clearly shifted.
I love this time of year for the rest it brings, and the quiet promise of a fresh start on the horizon. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do out there. Far from it.
I’ve gathered your December Garden Keeping Checklist below - take a look and see what might spark a new idea or serve as a timely reminder for your garden rhythm this month.
About These Checklists
While we don’t offer garden maintenance services here at The Whiskey Porch, these monthly Garden Keeping Checklists are designed to help you stay on track and feel supported through the seasons.
Whether you’re handling everything yourself or working with a maintenance crew, you’ll find the tips practical and flexible - especially if you’re gardening in or around Prescott, Arizona, or in other Zone-7 and neighboring climates.
Each checklist reflects the rhythm I experience here in Prescott’s downtown microclimate, so your own garden may vary slightly depending on your elevation, location, and what you’re growing. Generally speaking, these notes align with USDA Zone 7b.
Of course, no two years are exactly alike, even in the same zone. Some seasons bring an early hard freeze in late October, while others hold off until December. Keep that in mind as you plan your tasks.
These guides are geared toward landscape gardens that include mostly perennials, with a sprinkling of veggies and herbs.
​Let’s jump in.
