How to Design a Garden You Love
I love looking in my back yard and wishing I had a garden. I love plants and flowers. You need to make sure you have enough room to plant and decorate your garden. I know I do have a lot of room. Flower gardens can be even harder. To create gardens with ease the following tools are essential; spade, hoe, rake, garbage bin, wheelbarrow and weasel. The spade enables a gardener to dig out the desired area. My flat hoe is used for edging. A rake is necessary for leveling and a certain amount of weeding. Garbage bins are paramount, as you must discard weeds. Do not throw weeds on the grass as they can spread into the lawn creating problems with your sod. Make certain all weeds are deposited in the appropriate bin. The wheelbarrow is an invaluable asset as it can move heavy loads, house soil, and saves time and energy which can be used creating your garden. Start with what colors you like. Rather than basing your dream on a photograph from a magazine, take a look at what your neighbors are growing successfully. They may even be able to give you a division or two.
Most garden design advice begins with a discussion of color, texture and form. Color is arguably the most prominent factor in a garden design and often the first one considered. Color is what most gardeners are drawn to. We know what we like when we see it. Good garden design involves knowing how to combine colors so that the final product will be one we like. Only practice and experimentation will develop your eye for color and allow you to see the differences between colors, but a good way to start is by studying the color wheel used in art. Having decided on the style of garden that you want, and the features you need to incorporate, it is time to tackle the task of applying them to your own garden. The chances are that your garden will be the wrong size or shape, or the situation or outlook is inappropriate to the style of garden that you have admired. The way round this impasse is to keep in mind a style without attempting to recreate it closely.
Keep weeds out of your garden by putting untreated paper feed sacks or newspapers (little harder to handle) between rows. Weight down with hay, grass or manure. By next spring, the paper will be decomposed. When planting your garden, mark the date on the seed package or an index card (type of plant, any special instructions and date planted), then enclose in a plastic bag and attach to a stake at the end of the row. For large gardens, this will make it easier to remember when you planted different things. You can grow flowers in pots or in the ground. They may be annuals for just a single season, or perennials that come back year after year. Some flowers are great for cutting and some are just for general outdoor display. They come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Often flowers are more than just pretty; frequently they have other uses such as teas or cooking.
Choose one or two colors and use them throughout your garden. Use decorative edging to define separate planting beds of a single color each, or mix the two colors in every growing area. Highlight beds with low-voltage decorative lighting. Install a water garden or a fountain. Use torches and lanterns to illuminate the area around the water feature so you can enjoy it at night.
