Planning out your garden can seem overwhelming, even if you are an experienced gardener. Thankfully, a garden plan does not have to be a daunting task: the following guide will help you learn how to plan out your garden effectively so that you can reap the benefits of a stunning garden in the long-term.
Deciding What to Plant
The first step in your garden plan should be to decide what you want–and what you can–plant. Consider the type of sunlight, soil and moisture that your garden will receive during the growing season. Is the area mostly sunny, mostly shady, or does it feature a combination of both? What type of soil does your garden naturally have? What is the typical rainfall during the growing season?
This information will help you make the biggest strides towards determining what you should plant in your garden.
If your garden will be dry and sunny…
If your garden is primarily sunny with soil on the dryer side, you will want to look for plants that do well in a dryer soil climate.
Some flowering plants that do well in dry, sunny gardens:
- Black Eyed Susan
- Mountain Cornflower
- Sea Thrift
- Butterfly Weed
- False Indigo
If possible, opt for native species that will be hardier in your area than imported plants which may require more fussing on your end.
If your garden will be wet and partially shady…
If your garden will be primarily or partially shady with a wetter soil, you will want to look for plants that do best with moderate shade.
Some flowering plants that do well in partially shaded, moist gardens:
- Candelabra primrose
- Snowdrop anemone
- Cranesbill
- Drumstick primula
- Windflowers
If you aren’t sure exactly how much shade your garden area will receive, you should take the time to observe it over the course of a day. Make notes of what spaces in your garden get the most sunlight, the least sunlight, as well as how many hours of direct and indirect sun the garden receives.
Deciding Your Garden Layout
Another important aspect of garden planning is deciding the layout of your garden: not just what you will plant, but where you will plant. If you have an established garden space with flower beds–raised or otherwise–then the planning will be as simple as deciding where you want to plant the species you picked out in the earlier step.
If you are starting with an empty garden space, then you will need to do a bit more planning. First, you’ll need to decide on the type of planting areas you want to create. Raised flowerbeds? Natural flowerbeds? A combination of both? Once you have decided this, it is a matter of taking a broad look at your gardening space and making a decision about “what” will go “where.”
Make sure that you keep sunlight and shade in mind when you decide where to plant your chosen flowers, shrubs or other plant species.
Remember, the earlier you start planning your garden, the better; make sure to consider the above guide to help you effectively create a solid garden plan.
