What Do I Want In My Garden?

As you plan your garden, ask yourself some basic questions:

1. How much time do I want to spend gardening? figure an average of about a half hour a week during the growing season to maintain a 5×20 foot flower bed. And figure about one half to one hour a week for every 50×100 foot stretch of lawn
2. What’s my budget? Plants, tools and supplies can add up very quickly. Make a budget and stick to it.
3. What are my growing conditions? how much sun and shade fall on various parts of my yeard? What’s my soil like? How wet or dry is the climate at various times of year? What are record temperature lows and highs?
4. What look do I want? Formal, coutnry, English cottage, native, manicured, eclectic?
5. What’s my region’s style? What sort of gardens and hardscape materials look at home in my part of teh country? Drought-tolerant native plants? Lush, tropical plants? Prairie natives? Mountain wildflowers? Weathered wood? Bluestone? Granite? Brick?
6. What’s my lifestyle? How do I want to use my garden? As a retreat? As a place for entertaining? Will children play there? Will pets have access?
7. From what angels do I most often view my garden? From the patio? From a particular window overlooking the backyard? From the sidewalk leading from the garage to the back door?
8. What are my favorite colors? Will the flowers and plants look good with the existing structures, such as the house, fences and garage?
9. What animals do I want to attract or deter? Birds, butterflies and hummingbirds are usually welcome guests, whereas deer, rabbits, racoons and ground squirrels are usually not

Gardening food for thought.