Gardening Design Easy As One, Two, Three!

Garden design defined- Many people wonder what garden design exactly entails. Well, its actually a very straight forward concept consisting out of an artful process which in turn comprises of design, creation and planning precise layout of not only garden plants but also as the landscape areas self. The owner of the garden or a professional such as a landscaper can undertake a garden design project, depending on the expertise required. Even if you decide on a professional, it's important to remember that his or her level of experience and expertise will vary from individual to individual.

Education- Most garden designers have been trained in both design and horticulture, with advanced know-how and experience on plants and their use. A Landscape Architect can also be considered part of a professional garden designer team, with formal training in the form of a degree, which includes state licensing.

Will only a pro succeed? -Its not only pro's that succeed in garden design. Amateur gardeners also have the to potential to gain immense levels of experience, expertise and know-how from working in their own gardens. Wanna-be designers can also get necessary knowledge from either part-time or full-time study in the form of a University or College Degree in Gardening. Gardening or garden design organisations or clubs are also a very popular choice for individuals who want to learn more about gardening. These clubs include The Gardeners of America, National Garden Club or American Horticultural Society.

Increased interest in garden design- The popularity of garden design has boomed substantially in resent years specifically during the last century, not only as a mere hobby for gardening fanatics, but also as an addition to professional garden designers' portfolio's.

Basic principles of design- It doesn't matter whether you are a garden designer by profession or an amateur trying your hand at something new, the basic principles of design will always remain the same if you want to ensure design effectiveness, resulting in a garden meeting the needs, goals and desires of the owner or user of the garden.

Elements of design- Essential garden design elements include, solid landscape layout such as paths, walls, water features, seating and decking; plant layout, with proper consideration to every plants individual requirements, the season, lifespan, habit in terms of growth including size and speed and lastly the combi of other plants and landscape characteristics.

Regular maintenance considerations- Regular maintenance considerations are also very important, this includes the time and costs spent to ensure the garden is properly maintained. This will have a direct impact on your plant choices, as special consideration needs to be taking in terms of plant growth speed, seeding, whether plants are annual, bi-annual or perennial, bloom-time and actual bloom duration, and numerous other factors.

Other considerations of importance- Of all the design considerations garden use is definitely regarded as the most important, desired style follows very close behind, and lastly the way the garden is intended to blend with your home or surrounding areas. Unfortunately, mentioned considerations are subject to two problems, namely budget and time limitations. Budget limitations are beaten chop-chop by a simple, basic garden design style with few and quick growing plants, inexpensive materials for landscaping and seeding instead sodding. Apart from this, garden owners can decide to design their gardens' over an extended period, in sections, with primary focus on each individual section instead of manage all at once.

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DIY Garden Design - How to Plan a Thriving Vegetable Garden

Do-it-yourself (or DIY) garden design seems like a daunting task, but that's not really the case. It is relatively easy to plan a healthy vegetable garden yourself. Here are some tips for the budding garden designer:

Use the tools that you're familiar with. There are a lot of new computer tools you can use for do-it-yourself garden design. While using these tools has its benefits, only stick to the tools that you know. If you prefer to design your garden on graphing paper with a pencil, go with that. By using design tools that you know, you're lowering the learning curve and you spend more time actually designing your garden instead of learning how to use a new tool.

Know your priorities. When designing your own garden landscape, it's important to know your priorities. What do you value the most: accessibility, plant health, aesthetics, conserving water, or variety? List your priorities in order. This list will guide you when you need to make tough decisions, such as choosing between the fruits and vegetables you eat the most or the ones that are the most pleasing to the eye.

Plan in terms of zones. In permaculture, they have a concept known as "growing zones" which allow you to design proper plant placement in your garden. Zone 1, or the zone within a few feet of your doorstep, should be the place for the plants you need to visit everyday - whether it's because they need more maintenance or you use them a lot in your home. Zone 2 is for plants that also need a lot of attention, but not as much as those in Zone 1. These may include fruit-bearing trees, trellises, and vegetables that you don't need to harvest regularly.

Think outside the "box". Stop thinking of vegetable plots and garden sections as squares or rectangles. Although these shapes are more practical to plan and easy for the beginner, there are other types of shapes that give you the most workable gardening area. For example, a "keyhole" plot is a circular patch with a narrow path going into the center, which is vacant. That narrow path and vacant center is enough for you to tend to the plants and harvest their fruit. At the same time, you're conserving surface area since you don't need a longer walkable path to reach the plants.

By using familiar tools, knowing your priorities, and being creative, you can come up with a good DIY garden design that you'll be proud of. Hopefully, it will also provide you with healthy, delicious produce for several years.

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A Water Garden Design Starts With A Hole In The Ground

Designing a water garden is fun and easy, it can be created by a person or by a professional landscaping company. A water garden design should factor in the space allowed, the plants desired, and the climate of the area the garden will grow in.

Digging A Hole

Making a water garden in one's back yard begins by digging a hole in the ground. When planning the dig, gradually slope the sides to allow different plants optimal growing conditions. Some water plants flourish in deeper water and others are suited for shallower water.

Some water garden designs will begin with a shelf for plants that enjoy one foot of water or less and from that point the pond will slope to around eighteen inches and the deepest point over twenty-four inches deep. This will allow for a variety of plants to be grown in one water garden.

Choosing Pots

A water garden design should be planned similarly to a container garden because that is essentially what a water garden is. One difference is the type of pots needed for water gardens, water garden plants will do best if they are fabric pots which allow the water to flow freely around the soil and the roots.

Also even the smallest water plants will need a pot at least ten inches wide to allow the water plants room to grow. Water garden designs should figure places for pots to be placed to allow the particular plant the most sun, water depth, and soil that it needs to be healthy and thrive. Some plants will need the long "window box" type of plastic planters to allow the plant room to grow.

If fabric pots are unavailable or undesired plastic pots will also work well for water garden designs. The pots can be placed on cinderblocks while young to encourage them to grow faster and lowered slowly as the plant matures.

Choosing The Types Of Plants

There are too many beautiful water plants to talk about each in detail; however there are some general buying guidelines to follow when selecting appropriate plants for the region in which one lives. The United States is divided into ten climate zones; these zones are based on the date which there is no longer a risk of frost for that year.

Water plants labeled tropical will only do well in extremely hot conditions; they prefer the very edge of Florida, Texas, and southern California. Most other areas even in the south will not have consistent favorable temperatures for enough of the growing season.

Plants labeled hardy will grow in most areas of the United States except for extreme climates such as Alaska and a few other pockets of the country. Hardy plants are ideal for most peoples water garden designs as there is a large variety of plants that can suit anyone's taste.

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How to Create a Zen Garden

When you hear the term "Zen Garden" the picture conjured up is of a dry landscape with rocks surrounded by carefully raked gravel which invites you to withdraw from the noise of the world outside and to enter into silent meditation. Some say that zen priests adopted the dry landscape style in the eleventh century as an aid to create a deeper understanding of the zen concepts, but others hold that the Japanese Zen Garden is a myth. They claim that it is a late 20th Century western creation that has nothing to do with the Japanese Garden Tradition and that the dry garden style is not unique to zen temples but can be found associated with many other buildings.

Whatever your view it is undeniable that there is something rather special about this dry landscape style which is generally known as a Zen garden. The main elements consist of rocks representing mountains or islands surrounded by flowing water in the form of sand or gravel.

Recently scientists used computer analysis to study one of the most famous Zen gardens in the world, at the Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, to discover why it has a calming effect on the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come every year. The researchers found that the seemingly random collection of rocks and moss on this simple gravel rectangle, when viewed from the right position, created the image of a tree in the subconscious mind.

Not all Zen gardens are restricted to dry stones and gravel, but often include plants and mosses as well as shrine lanterns, bridges and water features. A Zen garden should be equally attractive and inviting throughout the year, which is why evergreens play such an important role in their design. Black pines and bamboo, moss and other evergreen ground covers provide seasonal continuity which is always green and alive.

Construction of a Zen garden starts with the selection of suitable rocks. It is important that you find rocks in shapes that appeal to you since these will form the backbone of the design. It may take some time for you to find the right stones and gravels to blend together to form a harmonious picture, but taking time and making careful
choices is an important part of transforming simple gardening into an act of "meditation".

Zen gardening
means that design, construction, planting and cultivation
is all part of the garden itself. A Zen garden is a continuing process in which the creation and maintenance of the design is as much a part of the meditation as contemplation of the completed garden.

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How Small Garden Designs Can Help You Feel Better About Your Home

Gardens are lovely and good for the soul. They can become our private sanctuaries away from the day to day grind and stresses in the world or they can simply be a place to have a grand time. Some people simply enjoying sitting in their garden while others love to plant seeds and watch flowers and bushes grow. No matter what your garden is used for, chances are you love having one and appreciate what it offers you. A great looking garden that is designed well is a wonderful investment because it adds value to your property and makes it much more desirable on the open market if you were to sell.



Often times it is very difficult to design your garden because it is hard to find good ideas. You may very well know of some small garden designs that you like but you may find it a challenge to know where to begin. You do not have to make drastic changes to your garden in order to improve it, as small changes and innovative use of focal points can make all the difference in the world. One thing that may interest you is to have a fountain installed. Fountains can make the perfect focal point in the middle of a rock or flower garden and they also provide birds with a natural bathing and drinking source. A fountain can be as elaborate or as simple as you desire. For the small garden, building a small environment in one corner that consists of a sloping hill made of stone with a fountain toward the top, can provide a lovely little oasis of your very own.



Small garden designs can also be things as simple as planting your flowers in rows, according to colour and type. Once grown, you will have created a very dramatic effect of contrasting colours. Use your creativity and plant the flowers following the contours of your flower bed for a more integrated look. Be sure to plant flowers that have similar lifespans so that all of the flowers last equally as long. You could add a few portable solar powered lamps that sit on spikes. You need to only push the lamps into the ground. In the evenings the warm glowing lights illuminating the flowers and plants will offer a very welcoming and serene feeling.



One of the most popular types of small garden designs involves putting a small wooden corner deck into one of the corners of your garden. You can choose one with a railing or without and by adding a table and a couple of chairs, you have created a nice place to enjoy your morning coffee. Corner decks can be purchased as kits and it takes just an hour or two to complete the job yourself. If you have a nicely designed garden, you will feel good about your entire home, as the garden is a nature-inspired living space located just outside your door.

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