Daily temperature (night and day), sunlight, accurate rainfall measurements, frosts, when maintenance functions were done, pests observed, bird observations, moth and butterfly observations, and I underline notes about what I want to try next year so that I don't forget all of my brainstorms. That, on top of some of the things you've mentioned, are important for us (husband and me) to keep track of.

i just promise i wills start it every year.. and never do ...

ken

I have used one of those month at a glance office organizers for years. I buy a new one each year.

Every sunday afternoon I take a 10-15 minutes walk around the garden and write down bed by bed what is in bloom or otherwise making itself attractive. I do not note when it emerged, who it is taking to the prom or any other irrelevant data.

I note combinations if they strike me. I will also note when I planted something. Short like: planted alstromeria in driveway bed.

The back of the office organizer has a note section for things I intend to do in the fall or next spring. Like plant more blah blahs in the driveway bed next to the alstromeria.

In the winter I have a bed by bed week by week list of what was of interest. (Except for August when I hate my garden and do not go out in it.)

By making the sunday ritual simple and unambitious, I can keep up with it.

This year to ensure I knew where the tulips were in the fall, I supplemented this notebook with short 1 minute videos of the major beds that I took with my digital camera in video mode. Again simple video walking down the bed verbally noting that the tulips were right next to the tree peony half way to the dogwood. Boring video one minute. But next fall I'll have the time to watch it before I add more blah blahs.

KISS

Don't try to keep it too organized. I found that I only kept mine up when I made it very informal. Draw lots of pictures of your gardens and what plants are where and update it or draw a new picture whenever you move things. Lots of little notes about the plants worked better for me than trying to keep a big list. Try to write things down whenever you notice them rather than writing a lot at once.

I didn't keep it up last year, but I need to buy a new notebook for this year. I thought I had lost one of my plants over the winter but it turned out I had moved it to the other side of the garden and forgotten it.

I started out with a notebook, but I didn't do a sufficient job with my "homework" assignments. I ended up using the notebook to sketch out ideas, make lists of combinations, lists of deer/drought tolerant plants, etc.

I found that my photos and updating my blog with my thoughts/results work better for me because it's just more rewarding for me. I can look back at the dates (organized with Picasa) on my photos and know what was blooming or bleak.

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: my gardening blog

I've been doing this for 30 years. The most useful method I found is large index cards, one for each species. I bring the file box outside and sit it on a wall. Then I jot down yearly notes. If every year doesn't get covered, it doesn't matter--I still have enough info to be helpful.

I write--

CORRECT BOTANICAL NAME OF PLANT
COMMON NAME OF PLANT
WHEN I BOUGHT IT/THEM
WHERE I BOUGHT IT/THEM
HOW MUCH I PAID
WHERE I PLANTED--I use fixed items in my garden, such as a path, to describe. I try to keep this updated if I move something as we all know happens all the time!
IF IT LIVED!
FIRST BLOOM
GENERAL COMMENTS RE FOLIAGE, MAINTENANCE ETC.
PERSONAL REMARKS SUCH AS IF IT WAS A GIFT FROM A FRIEND OR MARKED A FAMILY EVENT--GRADUATION AND SO ON

No one has to do all this. The most important info is NAME and WHERE I PLANTED IT and WHEN I PLANTED IT. That only takes less than a minute and is a huge help--and lots of fun to read as the years go by.

I do find I'm doing more and more on the computer these days...but then I have to make notes outside and write more lengthily when I come inside.