Gardening is the oldest known occupation to [wo]man. Adam was a gardener and we have been making gardens ever since! To be accurate it was God who created the first garden – Eden – Adam was placed there to tend it, along with Eve. But it’s true to say that mankind has been creating, beautifying and tending Gardens ever since.
Perhaps you have recently come into ownership of a garden and don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’ve taken over a garden but it’s not the way you want it to look? You’ve been researching Pinterest for ideas, collecting inspiration from magazines but actually starting, ……. well there’s the rub.
How To Make a Garden
The problem is knowing where to start – isn’t it? Yes? Am I right? We all dream of how we want things to look but turning those ideas into reality can be a problem. Here are five easy things to help you make a start with creating your dream garden.
1. Draw up a list
A bit obvious really but it will help later on. Consider what every member of your household needs from your outdoor space – humans and pets. This will prevent you from making plans that others may veto, and it will help you formulate what you not only want but also need from your garden. Really get into the details. Instead of just listing things like space to relax, and room for the kids to play, list the items to make that happen such as
- seating area for meals
- a quiet corner for a reading nook
- trampoline
- swing
To help you organise your lists grab your copy of the handy checklist HERE to help you gather up your ideas.
2. Get to Know Your Plot
Before you can start making a garden, you need to know what sort of conditions you will be working with. You need to find out what type of soil you have so that you know which plants will thrive in it, and which won’t. Consider how wet the ground is, and ask yourself whether it’s damp all year round or just soggy in winter but bone dry in Summer. You’ll also want to make notes about where the sun shines all or part of the day, and where the plot stays shady.
3. It Takes [Wo]Man Power to Make a Garden
Knowing how much you can do and where you will need help may impact the budget you have for making your garden. Are there any tasks that you’re going to need help with? Digging soil, lifting plants, carting materials – can you do these or are you going to need some help? Can you call on the family, on friends, or will you need to hire any tradespersons?
Give some thought to access too. Plants, soil, hard landscaping materials and timber may need to be transported onto the site, will this be a problem? If so how can you get around it? Do you need to ask a neighbour to grant you access over their land? It’s probably a good idea to let them know in advance that there’s going to be some work going on, and that you will try not to inconvenience them. Hint: Paving the way with a plateful of cookies can work wonders!
4. Making Plans
- Don’t worry this isn’t technical! But you do need to know the space you have for your garden. First, measure the size of it – width and length. Then, if you are able to, look out of an upstairs window to try and get a fair idea of the shape of the plot (Or get a friend with a drone to picture it for you ?]. Draw out the shape on some paper. Then mark out where you want everything to go.
- Next, go out to your plot and mark out your plan on the ground. You can use lengths of hose-pipe or sticks laid flat on the ground to mark out the shape of any flower beds you want. Try putting upturned pots or sticks into the ground to mark where big plants or trees will be planted. And don’t forget to mark where any structures will go.
- At this stage you will probably have something of a reality check – not everything will fit in as you imagined – but that’s okay. This is the time to tweak your plan BEFORE you’ve committed to any expense or muscle-work! Once you are happy with it on the ground, take another look from upstairs. Remember to make notes of any changes to your drawn plan.
TIP Fill an empty 2litre bottle with dry sand then drizzle it around the lines you’ve made with the hose-pipe or sticks. You can then remove them as they could otherwise be a trip hazard whilst you’re working. Don’t ask how I learnt that one – {doh,face-palm!}
5. Dollars and Cents
When making a garden you’ll also need to work out your budget and your timescale. It helps to remember that Gardens can be made in stages – not everything needs to be done at once. If your plans are quite elaborate, you may need to work areas of your garden one bit at a time. But give yourself some quick ‘wins’ too. For example, if your plan is to have a seating area, veg patch and flower garden, try this:
- Concentrate on the area nearest and most visible to the house first
- Create a seating area, this will give you somewhere to relax later after working on other areas of your masterplan.
- Start by growing some simple vegetables that are suitable for growing in containers. Arrange them around the outer edges of the space interspersed with some other decorative container planting.
Then you can work the areas beyond as time, energy and finance permit. As long as you have worked out the general layout of your garden before you start making it, you shouldn’t need to re-work this area.
Making Your Dream Garden
Whether your plot is large or small, doing a little homework before the spadework(!) will help you make a success of creating the garden you dream of – an outdoor space that can become a sanctuary for you and your loved ones. Apart from the health-giving properties of being out in the fresh air, there is something wonderful about handling soil and plants, a feeling of being in touch with creation. That’s something I think the poetess Dorothy Frances Gurney felt when she wrote:
“One is nearer God’s heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.”
If you Need More Help to Make a Garden…….
I can’t offer to come and dig for you but I can give you lots more advice! You can read more posts about creating the garden of your dreams on our associated website Leaves From My Garden and read there about the garden I have made.
Before you go – Download this FREE printable, a checklist for Making Your Garden
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