A Beautiful Garden is a Work of the Heart

The satisfaction in creating your own garden plan is immense. You get the satisfaction that comes from a job well done as well as being able to relax or entertain in your garden. Planning and developing a design unique to you, will add to the enjoyment your garden provides for years to come.

But where do you begin in creating the garden of your dreams and one that is unique to you?

Here are some easy steps that will help you work your way through the process.

1. Identify the reason for your garden.
Who will enjoy the garden? How will you use it? Getting input from the whole family on how they would like to use your outdoor space is a great place to start.

2. Don’t forget to do a little dreaming.
Let your imagination have fun with all the possible features in your special space now that you understand why you want it and how you intend to use it. This will help you put your personal touches on the garden. Also decide whether you want a formal or an informal garden. Formal gardens are divided by a strong central axis and cross axes while informal gardens have a more natural look with wonderful flowing curves.

3. Evaluate your yard.
What is the climate? How large is your space? What type of soil do you have? The lay of the land, is it flat or sloping? What are the predominate views and where are your quiet spots? It helps to know your starting point in order to get where you want to go.

4. What are your non-negotiables?
Listing your essentials up front helps ensure important things won't be forgotten. Then walk around your property and take note of everything that is essential. Your final design should balance between dream features and "must haves". Do children need a place to play? What about pets? What about a privacy fence or retaining wall? Where will you need a path?

5. Identify your focal points.
Every garden needs an eye-catching spot that causes you to pause a moment. Understand that when you choose a focal point, you are choosing the direction you want visitors to look and move when they enter your garden. If your list of "wants" included a waterfall or fountain, an arbor or even a special tree then you’re well on your way to identifying your focal point.

6. Choose your plants and hardscape.
What you choose to put in your garden will create the character of your garden, adding interest, movement and visual appeal. Mixing different colors and materials and textures will give your garden a strong sense of space. You may want harmonious colors or strong contrasting colors and different hues, warm or cool.

Though plants comprise a significant part of your garden, hardscape materials contribute variety and texture -- wood arbors, brick borders, gravel paths, bronze statuary, and outdoor benches. Keep in mind that each element needs to fit with and compliment the whole.

7. Draw you plan to scale.
Thus far, you have created a list of your needs and wants and of the trees, shrubs and plants you want in your garden. Now you need to create a scale drawing that shows exactly where each feature will go so you can use this drawing to help lay out the walkways, plant the trees, shrubs and flowers and set the arbors and trellises in place.
You will need a basic map of property lines and your house as well as an overlay sheet that shows focal points, "rooms" and pathways. Using a pad of graph paper will really help you with this and let each square equal one foot.

8. Create a budget.
Once you know what you want and what you need, it's time to consider what you are willing to spend. This dollar figure will influence what features you are able to include in the final garden plan -- trees, plants, hardscape materials and architectural elements such as arbors, fountains, ponds and benches.

Budgets comprise two elements: money and time. In terms of time, can you create your garden over time or does it need to be finished by a certain date? As you develop and refine your plan, you may need to balance time and cash costs. If you can’t afford your wants you may need to spend more time to balance things off.

9. Execute your plan.
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. Be aware that structures such as decks, patios and retaining walls may require a permit from the local city authority.

You CAN do this. It may sound a bit intimidating but if you follow these steps and let your space unfold you will end up with a space that is right for you.