With spring arriving, it is time to start planning your garden. This year, you may want to shake things up. Perhaps last year’s garden lacked that “wow” factor. Alternatively, you may want to improve upon or expand what you started last year. No matter your goal, you need to start by sketching out a master plan. Just like in your home makeover, your garden will need a unifying look and purpose to be its best. Here are some factors to consider when thinking about garden design and selection of the best garden decor.
1. Think About Your Climate
While all of us have seen the beautiful English garden estates, with their carefully manicured hedges and beautiful trees and blossoms, that isn’t possible everywhere. England is blessed with a lush, wet climate that’s perfect for some plants and terrible for others. Your home climate imposes similar restrictions, which is why all garden plans starts with choosing plants that you can actually grow in your yard.
Start by finding out what plants do well in your climate in terms of humidity, sun, and soil. There are plenty of tools online to help you figure out which plants love your climate, including zone maps and plant discussions. Soil testing kits can help you test the composition and acidity of your soil and offer guidance on ways to improve it. You can also visit a local garden expert or talk to friends who garden for tips on what works best in your region. By thinking about first about your climate, you will choose the plants, textures and colors will that will decorate your space well and survive for seasons to come.
2. Think About Purpose
Do you want a pollinating garden to help out the local bees and butterflies? Do you like to grow and cut flowers for beautiful arrangements? Maybe you like to grow vegetables for your table and help supply local food pantries. Are you a garden party master who wants a place to host your guests? Do you want a garden that wins local awards for its beauty, or maybe a shady, tranquil place for relaxation or meditation? All of these questions are important when thinking about changes to your garden design.
Your garden’s purpose will heavily influence your plant choices and layout. More functional vegetable and herb gardens, for example, need ample sun exposure, space for you to work, and the optimal spacing to ensure they grow their best. Gardens for hosting parties need some year-round greenery balanced with gorgeous summer blooms and enough shade to keep your guests cool. Allergy sufferers need to keep pollen to the minimum (to help with the sniffles) while still looking beautiful. If you have a mosquito problem, you may want to choose a number of plants that discourage mosquitoes. After you define your primary purpose, it is much easier to come up with the overall design and garden décor.
3. Think About Accessories
There is no doubt that the plants are the star of any garden, but just like in your home, a few accessories can go a long way towards making your garden retreat look its best. Some, such as trellises, well-placed benches or bird bathes are functional. Others, such as statuary, garden stakes and mirrored gazing orbs add beauty. A rare few combine both beauty and function—such as the Water Blossom root watering tool. This is a flower-shaped garden stake which offers fantastic looks while delivering water deep into the ground to help encourage deep root growth, so your plants grow strong and healthy. It’s also great for applying liquid fertilizers.
This Spring, spend a bit of time thinking about what works best in your garden’s climate and satisfies your desired purpose. Once you’ve figured out what you can successfully grow, select your plants and arrange them in the way that best supports your goals. Then, once that is decided, choose the accessories that will tie your garden together. It’s the best way to create a garden with a clear decor style that will be entirely your own and will have you bursting with happiness as it matures and thrives.
