With Spring around the corner (at least according to the calendar) it’s hard not to be thinking of spring flowers, Unfortunately, with all this winter weather and snow hanging on, it’s just not quite time to don the gardening gloves and galoshes yet. It is, the perfect time to do your garden planning however! So make yourself a cup of tea (or maybe a glass of wine) grab a pencil, paper, along with a few magazines and curl up on the couch to envision your plans for your current garden, a new garden space, or a maybe even a plan for the yard as a whole?

First of all, make a list of what you would like to use the space in question for?  Do you dream of a cottage garden full of flowers that you can bring indoors for beautiful bouquets? Do want a quiet getaway spot to sit and read and leave your cares at the arbor? Do you want an outdoor eating area to entertain? Do you want a play area for kids that you can see from the kitchen window? Remember, this is the dreaming stage – write them all down, the sky is the limit right now.

Now it’s time to evaluate what you currently have in the space. What features plants & trees do you really like? What features, plants, or trees aren’t really working in the area and need to be removed or changed. Don’t forget to include existing patios, barbecues & such in this evaluation.

Once you are done the “dream” and the “evaluation” it is time to draw! You don’t have to be an artist here, just simple sketches will do. Start with the outline of your house and the existing trees, plants and features you wish to keep, as is. Once the “keepers” are on the page, evaluate your dream list and designate an area of space for the items you really want.  You can just draw a general circle to designate that area such as the “sitting area”, the “kids area” the “vegetable garden” area etc. some of these circles may overlap somewhat, but that’s ok.  Make sure you take into account the view of these spaces you will have from your house or patio to be sure you have designated the best spot for them. This is also the time to think about the sun & shade these areas will receive. You will want to be sure that your vegetable garden area has full sun, while you may want some shade, especially in the heat of the afternoon for your getaway spot.

Now it’s time to tie this all together. You can still keep the sketching really simple if you don’t feel particularly artistic. Add in simple things, like a path from one area to another. Consider what the function of the path will be, such as a direct one the kids may take from house to play area, or the one that may cause you to meander through the garden on route to your personal getaway spot. Think of creating garden “rooms” that are connected by your paths. Don’t forget to consider hardscaping as well. That refers to things like retaining walls, birdbaths, fountains, rocks, arbors etc. that will add interest along the way.

Look through magazines & books to learn what you like and don’t like, for hardscape styles, as well as colors, textures and styles of plants and plant combinations. Note what elements are in the pictures you are drawn to. Do you like formal or informal styles? Do you like warm bright colors like yellows oranges & reds or cool blues, pinks & purples or maybe you like splashes of contrasting warms and cools together?

Do you like the movement of grasses mixed into your space, tropical feeling plants or maybe a rock garden effect?

Having a sense of elements you like and don’t like and knowing the type of feeling you want to create in a garden space is really more important for you to know, before hitting your local Greenhouse or Garden Center than knowing the specific names of a particular plant or variety.

If you can convey these ideas to them, a good plant specialist can recommend plants that can create the feel and function you desire, while still being hardy for our climate.