Picturesque GardenPicture Perfect Gardens

A beautiful garden doesn’t just happen. It takes some planning and preparation to create a garden that will give you a lovely outdoor space that also adds curb appeal to your home.

Design your garden beds with your local growing conditions in mind. You should also consider the amount of time you will be able to devote to maintaining your garden, and the amount of physical labor you will be able to do. Keep your plans realistic, and even if you scale back the size of your garden beds, the plants you have will be better cared for and will grow better than if you had an area you couldn’t keep up with. Have a sketch of your plan with you when you shop for plants at the nursery. Follow it as closely as you can, so you won’t make impulse purchases that you later decide you can’t use in your garden. Your sketch doesn’t have to tell you exactly how many or what kinds of plants to buy. It should be a guide for you to use to picture the size and layout of your beds, light conditions, and general notes about your ideas for types of plants you would like. A good nurseryman can help you select the right plants for your locale that will fit your plan.

Plan your garden design using different height plants, and different colors of foliage and flowers. Create a visual texture by combining plants of different types, such as evergreen shrubs with flowering annual borders. Consider planting a perennial garden. Perennials will come back year after year, and once you have established your favorite garden plan with perennials, the yearly work and upkeep is easier than having to replant annuals every year.

When designing a garden the first thing to look at is your house and the surrounding area. The garden should enhance the property and structures, not overwhelm it. This includes the shape of the house and the colour of the house.

Next you have to get an idea of what types of plants and what colour of plants you want. This will determine the type of soil you will need for growing your garden. Different plants need different soil, so a little research will be needed for this step. Also with this step, you will want to consider drainage for your garden. Without the proper drainage the garden plants will get too much water and rot.

By now you should have a good idea of the size of your garden and the plants you want in it. Now the fun begins, start planting. If you want to incorporate a bird house or other item that stick up, it’s is best to put them in first. Then starting from the center and working out, plant your tallest plants. Then work toward the outside, ending with you’re shortest plants on the outside of the garden. Make sure to leave room for growth of the plants, if they are to close it will look unappealing.

There are many web sites that have garden design areas and there are garden designing DVDs on the market that you can purchase and use for helping you design your own beautiful garden. Additionally, any landscaping or nursery would be more than willing to help with your design.