Gardening is an activity that is enjoyed by practically hundreds of millions of people around the world. It can be enjoyed by the very young to the very old, as it is a very gentle activity that does not require great feats of strength (or great strength of feet!). It can bring enhanced value to a home, and it can provide your dinner table with fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, nuts, etc that you and your family can enjoy year round, with proper planning.
Garden planning starts with deciding what type of garden you want to have. If you're blessed with a very large yard, then you're not restricted to just one type, and you can follow the designs of the English country manor and have "garden rooms" in your yard - that is, different types of gardens in different areas of the yard demarcated in some fashion. However, deciding what you want to have is essential before you rush out and buy plants.
Many companies around the world offer garden design services, and there is even software that you can now purchase to help you design your own garden. If you want to do it yourself, and don't want to purchase any fancy software, then all you need is some graph paper, a nice sharp pencil and perhaps a ruler. If you have them, look in your children's pencil case for these items, or go out and buy them, they aren't expensive!
While considering what you want to have in your garden, it is worthwhile walking or driving around the neighbourhood. Look at what your neighbours are doing in their gardens. Chances are they're willing to talk to you about their trials and tribulations, and they will know what works and what they've tried that hasn't worked.
If you're new to the area, then you'll want to get familiar with the climate. Observe your yard for a few days or even weeks and see how the wind blows, where the shade is, where the sun passes overhead, and other similar things. Just don't do what the author did and observe it for half a decade. Observation is fine, but the point of gardening is to get your hands dirty.
At this point, I want to stop and consider edible gardens. With the climate growing increasingly warmer, oil reaching "Peak Oil" stages with petrol prices rising higher and higher, food is becoming more expensive to grow and a lot more expensive to buy. In as little as 10 square metres, or around 110 square feet, you can grow vegetables, fruit and herbs, and with another 10 square metres, you could also have chickens with their very own coop. If you want more information on chickens, then check out the website below.
Everyone should have at least culinary herbs in their garden, even if it's just some parsley and mint. Not only are they good to eat, but every time you brush past them, or the wind blows, you will have a delightful aroma waft through the garden. Plant your herbs somewhere convenient to the kitchen so that you're encouraged to use them.
Still prior to purchasing any plants, decide on the hard landscaping features. This includes any paths, retaining or regular walls, landscaping features (fountains, ponds, ornaments, etc) as well as things like reticulation. The time to plan these and get them in is before the plants are in, as it's much easier to fit the plants around the landscaping features than the other way around. Dig the trenches and lay the pipes for your reticulation first, and then work up from there.
Once you've drawn up your plan, and thought about your landscaping, then it's time to get your hands dirty, and start building your garden. The only limit is your imagination and your budget. Enjoy!
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