Garden Planning and Design

Garden planning and design needn't be complicated. It can be overwhelming looking out into your garden and wondering how you are ever going to come up with a good design but if you take things one step at a time things will develop faster than you think.

First sit down and think what you want from your garden. Make a list of what you would like to use your garden for. Do you have a young family and need an area for play? Do you want to entertain in your garden? Do you need a storage shed and if so how big? How much time do you want to spend gardening? How much money would you like to spend?

Next make a rough plan marking in the boundary fences or walls, together with the outline of the house and other fixed features. Then sketch in general areas for borders, patio, paths, lawn and any other main features. Be logical. Don't cram too much into a given area, remember that greenhouses need to be in the sun, sheds and compost bins should be hidden from the house. Get a general plan together so you have something to mull over.

Next go into your garden and start to tidy up and prepare. This will give you the opportunity to see how things will fit in and check soil quality and see if your plan has any flaws. You will probably find that once you have been working in the garden for a little while you plan will start to change as you see how things will best fit in.