PLANNING THE PERFECT GARDEN

Planning a garden can be a bit overwhelming, mostly walking through the gardening store and seeing all the different varieties of flowers, vegetables, shrubs, etc. Then you find out that different plants grow at different times of the year—which could affect the way your garden looks in the Summer opposed to Autumn, Spring, or even Winter.  So to make this a bit easier for you, let’s break this down into parts, and then break those parts into steps.

The first part is the question of space. The best way to understand how much space you have is by drawing a map of your property. Try to be specific in how many square meters are available in the yard. But draw the whole property, front and back and side, whatever might be available, as modern gardens today are walking tours that expand beyond just one area. Plus, ask yourself if there are any areas with concrete that could be broken up and replaced with soil. Even consider fences and the side of your home or sheds for growing vines.  There’s still is more to be done with your map: mark what areas that have direct sunlight, partial sunlight, or little, if any lit areas. Also, ask yourself where the water runs off. This could save you money in your watering bill if rain runs off in certain areas. Answering these questions will give you a good idea of where you can grow, but most importantly, what you can grow.

That brings us to the next question: What do we grow? There are two choices when it comes to all plants: seasonal and perennials.  But the other question to ask is, what do you want to grow? Do you want to grow for aesthetic, food (vegetables and fruits), or both?  Once you have figured out the space, you might be surprised with how much you can actually grow. Most fruits or vegetable are going to be seasonal, so you might want to restrict a plot of ground for strictly growing food. Perennials can be tricky, as just because they grow year round, doesn’t mean they bloom or display their beauty year round.