Idea Garden
A creative space where ideas are planted, nurtured, and either graduated to plans or composted. Ideas have a natural lifecycle with automatic aging.
Definition
The Idea Garden is a dedicated space in _AUDIT/GARDEN.md for capturing ideas before they're ready to become plans. It's the creative nursery of your project - a place where half-formed thoughts can be recorded without the pressure of immediate action.
Unlike plans (which are commitments) or tasks (which are work items), ideas are possibilities. The garden gives them space to exist, mature, and either prove their worth or naturally fade away.
Philosophy
Core Principle
Not every idea deserves immediate action. The garden provides a holding space that separates "interesting thought" from "committed work," reducing pressure while ensuring nothing is forgotten.
In actual gardening, seeds are planted, watered, and given time to grow. Some thrive, some don't - and that's natural. Forcing every seed to become a full plant immediately would overwhelm the garden and produce poor results.
Why Separate Ideas from Plans
- Reduces decision fatigue - not everything needs immediate evaluation
- Prevents scope creep - ideas stay as ideas until explicitly promoted
- Captures fleeting thoughts before they're lost
- Creates a creative backlog for inspiration during planning
- Automatic composting prevents idea hoarding
Idea Lifecycle
Ideas have a natural lifecycle with automatic aging that prevents the garden from becoming overgrown:
| Age | Status | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| 0-44 days | Fresh | Active in garden, ready to develop |
| 45-60 days | Wilting | Warning shown during "open the farm" |
| 60+ days | Composted | Auto-moved to COMPOST.md |
Garden Actions
Trigger Phrases
| Phrase | Action |
|---|---|
"I have an idea for X" |
Plant new idea in GARDEN.md with timestamp |
"let's plan this idea: X" |
Graduate idea to _PLANS/, remove from garden |
"compost this: X" |
Move idea to COMPOST.md with reason |
"water the garden" |
Generate 10 new ideas based on existing garden |
# Idea Garden
## Fresh Ideas
### Add keyboard shortcuts for power users
*Planted: 2024-01-10*
Quick access to common actions without mouse.
Could significantly improve workflow efficiency.
### Dark mode toggle
*Planted: 2024-01-08*
Users have requested this. Would need theme
system refactor.
## Wilting Ideas
*These ideas will be composted soon if not acted upon*
### Analytics dashboard
*Planted: 2023-11-20*
Comprehensive usage analytics. May be scope creep?The Compost
_AUDIT/COMPOST.md is the archive for rejected or expired ideas. Unlike deletion, composting preserves ideas for future reference - sometimes timing matters more than merit.
Compost Isn't Trash
Composted ideas aren't bad ideas - they're ideas that weren't right for now. The "water the garden" command reviews compost for patterns, sometimes resurrecting ideas whose time has come.
When composting an idea, include a reason. This context helps future you (or Claude) understand why it was rejected:
- "Out of scope for current phase"
- "Already implemented differently"
- "Dependency not available yet"
- "User research showed low demand"
Watering the Garden
The "water the garden" command triggers creative ideation. Claude analyzes:
- Current ideas in GARDEN.md
- Composted ideas in COMPOST.md
- Your project's GREENFIELD vision
- Current implementation state
Then generates 10 new ideas that complement existing ones, fill gaps, or approach problems from new angles. It's directed brainstorming - creative expansion grounded in your project's context.
Don't Over-Water
Watering too frequently can flood the garden with low-quality ideas. Use it when you're stuck or want to explore new directions, not as a daily habit.