🌱 Garden Growth Retro
Welcome to our agile garden! Let's weed out the blockers, plant new ideas, nurture healthy habits, and cultivate improvements for future sprints. Ready to grow together?
Template Columns
🌾 Pull the Weeds
Identify what stunted our project’s growth and should be removed.
Base column: Drop🌻 Plant New Seeds
Suggest fresh ideas or practices to help our project flourish.
Base column: Add🌳 Cherish the Blooms
Celebrate what’s thriving in our process and should be maintained.
Base column: Keep🌦️ Fertilize for Growth
Spot areas where a little nurturing can help us improve next sprint.
Base column: ImproveAbout this template
The Garden Growth Retro uses a gardening metaphor to help teams reflect on obstacles, celebrate successes, plant new ideas, and nurture improvements for healthier sprints.
When to use this template
Use this template when your team needs a fresh perspective to identify blockers, reinforce positive processes, and brainstorm actionable improvements, especially during periods of change or after challenging sprints.
How to facilitate
Set the scene by explaining the gardening theme and describing each column’s metaphor to foster engagement.
Invite each team member to add cards to the appropriate columns: Pull the Weeds for blockers, Plant New Seeds for new ideas, Cherish the Blooms for successes, and Fertilize for Growth for areas needing nurture.
Give everyone a quiet moment to review and group similar cards in each column collaboratively.
Guide a discussion by moving through each column: tackle blockers first, then celebrate blooms, discuss new ideas, and close with growth opportunities.
Encourage the team to identify actions for every major blocker and growth area, assigning clear owners where possible.
End with a quick reflection on the retrospective process and gather feedback to continually improve future sessions.
Pro Tips
Lean into the gardening metaphor to spark creativity and open discussion—ask team members to give examples that fit the theme.
Encourage quieter voices by inviting everyone to share in the smaller columns first, building comfort before larger discussions.
Keep momentum by timeboxing each section, ensuring that every column receives attention without feeling rushed.
Review previous action items at the start to connect past growth with current reflections.
FAQ
What if our team struggles to generate ideas for the 'Plant New Seeds' column?
Prompt with recent challenges or aspirations, and ask team members to think of small experiments, not just major changes. Creative, even playful ideas often spark valuable discussions.
How do we avoid spending too much time on one column?
Set clear time limits for each column and gently move the group along if discussion stalls or gets repetitive. Consider using a timer visible to all.
How can you ensure action items come out of this retro?
Summarize each discussion point with a concrete action, who owns it, and a timeline. Record actions collaboratively in your tracking tool or team board.
Is this template suitable for non-sprint or operational teams?
Yes, the gardening metaphors can adapt to any team needing growth and reflection, not just scrum teams.
At a glance
- Duration
45–60 min
- Team Size
4-12 people
- Columns
4 columns
- Base Format
Drop, Add, Keep, Improve
Tags
Ready to get started?
Use this template to run your next retrospective