The idea of a beautiful, blooming, colourful garden is wonderful. The vision of you sitting back in a chair, reading a book in this outdoor paradise is even better. Getting down and dirty to create this paradise is where the problem starts. Having absolutely no idea how to do it is where the problem continues!
Gardening takes dedication and creativity. If you're not interested in putting at least three hours a week into your garden, then perhaps you should look into hiring a landscaper. If, however, you have the determination and spare time to put into your new garden, read on!
Pick Your Spot
Picking the right spot to start your garden is sometimes difficult. You want to choose a spot that is spacious enough to work in, and you want to put your garden where it will compliment your house and the rest of your yard.
Once you've chosen a spot that you like, check to see what sort of drainage the soil has. If the area collects puddles, and is generally muddy then the drainage is not good and you either need to pick a new spot, or find a solution for the bad drainage. One option would be to dump a truckload of mud into the area to raise it up a bit. In this case, you have to be careful where the runoff of water will settle.
Next, you need to make sure the soil is good. You can do an at-home test to check your soil, or you can have a landscaper check it for you. You also need to make sure that you have the right type of soil for the plants you want in your garden.
Decide on the shape and size of your garden, and clear out any weeds or debris that are in the area. You can use a string to measure off the exact size and shape of your garden to make clearing the area out much easier.
Pick Your Plants
Beginners don't always have a lot of knowledge about different plants. There are, however, some things that are easy to remember so that you end up with the right colours, sizes and types.
Perennials are plants that will come back every year, and annuals are plants that only last for one year. Whether you choose perennials or annuals will most likely depend on how much work you want to put into your garden every year. It is, however, good to plant at least a few annuals so that you have the option to change your garden a bit each year.
Check out which parts of your garden are the sunniest and which are the shadiest. Some plants need more sun, and some need more shade. When you go to purchase your plants they usually have a tag stating the amount of sunlight they need.
Decide on a colour scheme for your garden. You can go online, or find a book and make a list of different plants that come in the colours you'd like. Also, decide which colours you'd like to plant in which spots so that you know whether you need a plant requiring lots of sunlight or one that requires a shady spot.
It doesn't hurt to do a little research to find out which plants are native to your area. Choosing native plants will automatically attract insects that are beneficial to your garden, and they are more likely to grow fuller.
Prepare your soil well by mixing plenty of fertilizer and manure into it. Most gardeners also keep a compost bin for their garden. Good soil is very important and is the first step to growing a healthy garden.
Finally, make sure you know the height and width each plant will reach at maturity. This will assure that you have allotted enough space in your garden for the plants you have chosen.
Set a Budget
Gardens can easily become a very costly investment if you don't set a budget. A reasonable price to prepare yourself for would be somewhere between $80 and $120. This will depend somewhat on the size of your garden, the fullness of your garden, and the accessories that you want to add to your garden.
Remember that more plants not only mean more work, they also mean more money. Starting out, you're better off keeping your garden simple. This will assure that the plants you do purchase will have plenty of room to grow to their full potential, and it will also give you a chance to change your mind if you don't like the way it's going.
Also, set aside a certain amount of money in your budget for accessories such as stones, fountains, and lighting. Decide where you'd like these items in your garden, and then you will have a good idea of how many you'll need and how much they will cost you.
Get Started
Once you've finished all the preliminary work, and purchased your plants, you're ready to get planting! There are, of course, a few tricks of the trade that will help ensure the beauty and productivity of your garden.
First of all, make sure that the base of each plant is at least two inches below the surface. Sometimes it's best to dig a little deeper and fill the hole in with some fertilizer or super soil first.
Also, try not to place all of your plants in a straight line. This will end up making your garden look unnatural. You should place your plants into groups of 3 or 5. Odd numbers work the best, but you don't want to place too many together or it will look overwhelming.
When grouping your plants, you should try to group plants with similar needs together. Plants that need lots of sunlight should be grouped in the area of your garden that you have designated as the sunniest area, and vice versa.
You should always place the taller plants in the back to ensure that the smaller ones get plenty of light. Placing the taller ones in back will also make the smaller ones more visible. You don't want to spend time and money on beautiful plants that you won't even see.
Now that you've got your garden started, you are on your way to obtaining the green thumb. The hardest part is over, and now it's just a matter of pruning and enjoying. Each year you will get to know your garden better, and that will make you more capable of meeting its needs. Good luck and good gardening!
