Creating a Beautiful Garden

Creating a beautiful garden

There is enormous fulfillment when it comes to creating your own garden plan -- I have found the fulfillment, for me, comes from relaxing or entertaining in the garden as well as the pleasure that comes from a job well done, if I do say so myself. The effort that you expend in planning and executing a design unique to you will add to the enjoyment your garden will provide for, you and others, years to come.

Let me share with you some of the best ways I have learned how to begin to create a garden space that is unique to you? The following are ten simple steps that will help you move through the garden planning process.

1. Give some thought WHY you want a garden.

Who else will enjoy the garden?  Will this be your own private little secret garden, or can you imagine hosting parties there? How will you use it? Will you have an herb garden; grow food, flowers, or perhaps all of the above?  If you have a family, like I do, keep in mind that you may not be the sole inhabitant of your new garden, so get input from all family members on how your outdoor space will be used.

2. Dream a little.

A little dreaming will uncover those attributes that will put your personal imprint on the garden. Now that you have decided on exactly why you want a garden and how you intend to use it, let your imagination play with all the possible features in your special space. Formal gardens are highly structured, divided by a strong central axis and cross axes. Informal gardens have a more natural look with strong, flowing curves. For my outside garden, I went with the informal theme.

3. put together a list of "must haves"

Listing your needs up front ensures that your final plan won't be missing anything important. Will you need a privacy fence, or will you need a retaining wall, a pathway to the garage, or perhaps more parking space? What about pets, or a place to play? Make a note of everything that you consider essential in your proposed garden area, your final design should balance dream features and "must haves" to create a satisfying and functional garden.

4. The essentials you already have.

It really does help to know your starting point to get where you are going, garden-plan-wise. What is essential and stays and what is unnecessary, and has to go. Is your space large or small? Is the site flat or sloping? What is the climate? What type of soil do you have? How much water is available and from what sources? What are the predominate views? This list of questions is not meant to be a show stopper, but the more consideration given to your garden setup the easier it will be to maintain.

5. Your estimated budget.

Once you have determined everything that is necessary to begin developing your garden it's time to consider what you are willing to spend. The dollar figure for your garden will influence what features you include in the final garden plan -- landscape materials, plants, trees and architectural elements such as fountains, benches, or an arbor.

Remember that your "budget" may need to take into consideration two elements: Money and Time. In terms of time, does the garden need to be completed by a certain date or will you (like me) intend to build your garden over time and in stages? Another time consideration is how much time are you willing to budget to maintain your dream garden? Can you spare several hours a week or are you lucky enough to afford to pay someone to take care of your garden for you? Being as flexible as you can be will help, because you may need to spend more money if you can't spend the time and vice versa.

6. I think it's a good idea to identify the focal point of your garden

Every garden needs an eye-catching spot that causes you to pause a moment. Choosing a focal point focuses on the point you want visitors to look when they enter your garden. Did your list of "wants" include a waterfall or fountain, a garden sculpture, or an arbor retreat? Perhaps even a blossoming apple tree? If so, you are well on your way to identifying a focal point -- or points -- for your garden.

7. Make a rough design.

Take all the information that you've gathered and, incorporate it into a workable design that balances the "wants" with the "must haves". Create a space that is both satisfying and functional.

Use a pad of graph paper that contains 8 or 10 squares per inch and let each square equals one foot. (In other words, every square inch on the paper will equate to 8 or 10 feet on your property.) Create a basic map with your property lines and house drawn to scale.

Also have on hand some tracing paper, markers, a tape measure, a ruler, a pencil and a good eraser. Lay the tracing paper over your basic scaled map. Then refer back to your list of "must haves" and "wants" as you sketch the various areas of your garden. Show the approximate position of focal points, activity areas ("rooms") and pathways. Use as many sheets of tracing paper as necessary until you find a layout that pleases you and meets the goal that you identified back in Step 1.

8. Pick your plants and landscape.

The colors and materials that you choose will create the character of your garden, adding interest, movement, and visual appeal. Do you want harmonious colors or strong contrast, warm hues or cool tones, bold colors, or soft hues? Give your garden a strong sense of space by mixing different colors and materials and textures. In addition to plants, hardscape materials contribute variety and texture -- wood arbors, brick borders, gravel paths, bronze statue, and wrought-iron benches.

As you review your preliminary layout, consider the best material for each of the hardscape elements like brick, or rocks, to incorporate into your landscape. Try to make sure that each element fits with and compliments the whole. For example, a terrace constructed of the same material as the house unifies while railroad ties around a formal garden create discord.

9. Make a scale drawing.

So far, you have created a basic map of property lines and your house as well as an overlay sheet that shows focal points, "rooms" and pathways. You also have a list of the trees, shrubs, and plants for each area of your garden. Now you need to create a scale drawing that shows exactly where each feature will go. You will use this blueprint to lay the walkways, set the arbors and trellises, and plant the trees, shrubs, and flowers.

It is important that you have enough information to help you create in reality the garden that you just designed on paper. As long as your scale drawing or blueprint is in, sufficient scale to accomplish that purpose, you will be successful.

10. Just before you start to build.

Be sure to check all local building codes and regulations, before you get started, to make sure that you will be in compliance. Structures such as decks, patios and retaining walls may require a permit from the local city government. Once all permits are in place, you can start to lay out the garden.

When you are finally ready to execute your garden building design and with your scale drawing as a blueprint, use a tape measure to position all structures, walkways, and plants. Be sure to measure accurately so each element in your design fits its assigned space.

If designing a garden space sounds a bit intimidating, don't panic. Just follow these steps one by one and let a garden space unfold that feels right to you. Believe me when I say that starting your own garden can be done!  Don't be afraid to grow your own flowers, herbs, or food no matter how elaborate, or simple your garden space.