With the housing market at a low and budgets being squeezed, creating a garden area you can enjoy at minimal cost is tough. Do you crave an unfettered space for pure, zen-like meditation or a light filled extravaganza for parties? Whatever you decide, you need to consider both the design and the plant-life. Using the following tips will help you to get started on creating the perfect landscaped garden!
What Do You Want From Your Garden?
Are you the type to throw hectic summer barbecues or do you want a quiet space to pass the weekend tending to your plants? Ask yourself exactly what you want from your garden and write it down. It will help you to focus on the most important aspects of your design and to start budgeting your costs.
Sketch Out A Plan
Even if you're not an artist, measuring out the space and making a rough plan is essential. If you want a decked patio area, work it into your plan to decide on the scale of the patio area compared to areas dedicated to plant-life. Don't forget to add in any specific barbecue areas, children's play areas or that uncluttered meditation space!
Decide On The Furniture
Whether you're a keen gardener or a brilliant party host, decide on what garden furniture you want to have. Do you need a shed for all your gardening tools or would you rather have a table and chairs for your guests? Keep in mind that if you want garden furniture such as a table and chairs, you will want to store them inside during winter to protect them from the weather.
Add A Little Colour
Thinking about a colour theme can really add that extra spice to your garden. Do you want earthy, natural colours for minimal fuss? Or are you ready to be bold and buy brightly coloured garden furniture and plants?
Get Down To Your Local Garden Centre
Once you've decided on how much space you want to leave for plants, get down to a garden centre and have a look around. Remember that some plants need more TLC than others and consider how much sunlight different areas of your garden get. Ask a member of staff for advice if you're unsure. You don't want to go to all that trouble if your plants won't survive in your garden!
Get Landscaping!
Now that you've created a plan and bought your furniture and plants, you're ready to get stuck in. With a bit of graft you'll soon have your perfect landscaped garden. Who ever said that landscape design was impossible for beginners?
Have you got more tips for landscaping beginners? Share them by commenting below!
This article was published on behalf of green-fingered Julia Molloy. She enjoys reading novels and writing poetry, as well as playing table tennis. She writes here for Open Doors.
