The hardest part about planning a garden is deciding where to begin. Looking out over the vast mound of overgrown shrubs, weeds and cracked concrete, it's difficult to imagine your yard can be the garden paradise you've always dreamed of. It's as though you're beginning with a blank canvas, and someone hands you a shovel and says "create". Before you drop the shovel and walk away in frustration, gather your thoughts, and take yourself through this step-by-step process for planning your garden.
Goals & Objectives
Before the first seed is planted, you need to think long and hard about your goals for this garden. How do you plan on using it? Will it be for meditation, entertaining, or just a quiet getaway to enjoy a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. Take lots of notes; getting your thoughts on paper is the first step towards making them reality.
Features
What features or qualities will your perfect garden have? Perhaps you'd like a casual sitting area, a trellis or pergola, or maybe even a pond. Will it be enclosed? Does it require stairs or stepping stones? Maybe you've picked out different plants or looks that you've seen in magazines; be sure to keep a running file of these samples. Do you want a particular color scheme, or theme such as a scented garden, herb garden or perennials?
Is this a garden you want to enjoy in the winter months? If so, make sure to plant shrubs that look attractive during the colder months and add interest by using bird feeders to attract wildlife.
Focal Point
Do you have a focal point such as a large tree, gazebo, fountain or other large object that the garden will surround? If so, build around it by finding plants and accessories that complement your focal point.
Hazards
Determine what planting zone you live in and what your temperature high's and low's are. Do you have deer, rabbits or other wildlife to contend with? Do you have dry or rocky soil that will need to be topped up with additional top soil? Are there any areas that are particularly shady or sunny?
I've added this next point under Hazards because it is something that can make or break a garden. What type of gardener are you? Do you have a true green thumb, and sincerely enjoy spending hours pulling weeds and tending to your plants?
OR
Do you initially get excited about planning the garden, scour the stores for just the right plants, and then once the job is complete, lose interest? If you are among this group, you won't be growing rare orchids. You'll want to make this new garden as low maintenance as possible, with plenty of hardy drought-resistant varieties and extra layers of landscape fabric.
Professional Help
Once you have the groundwork settled, and recorded on paper, decide whether you'll be tackling your garden project on your own, or enlisting the help of a landscape architect. Even if you plan on doing the physical work yourself, you may save yourself considerable expense and frustration by getting a designer to give you a consultation. Book a couple of hours of their time and show them around the property, while you record their suggestions for garden design and plantings. For an extra fee they will also draw up a plan listing suggested plants, and locations of new gardens or structures.
I can't emphasize the importance of getting professional input, especially for a large garden or landscaping project. If you have the budget, your designer will draw up an approved plan, purchase the plants and do all the physical work involved in getting the soil ready and planting. If you decide to do it all on your own, do yourself a favor and get some good books on landscaping, and attend a course or two at your local community college or garden centre.
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