5. Determine How You Will Keep Wild Animals out of the Garden

What’s the point in putting in a lot of time and effort into creating a garden that ends up being destroyed by the wildlife? Know what animals are roaming around in your area and find out how other local gardeners are deterring these critters from their garden areas.

4. Make It Easy to Get around in

You’ll spend a lot of time out in the garden, whether you are pulling weeds, harvesting crops, or simply checking out the plants to make sure they aren’t being invaded by pests. It will be a more enjoyable experience to hang out in a garden that is easy to get around in. Keep rows wide, allow enough room in between plants so you can access all sides, and make sure there aren’t stakes or row markers placed where you will trip over them.

3. Consider the Bloom Time of Each Plant when Selecting Flowers

I like a garden filled with flowers that display color all summer long. Plant an assortment of flowers that bloom at different times. This technique will provide you with a colorful garden for as long as possible. Plenty of plants are also available that keep their blooms well into the fall.

2. Use Plants That Will Grow Well in Your Climate Zone

Tropical plants only grow well in my area during the warmest part of the summer, while plants from cooler climates burn up in a short period of time. I’ve found that choosing an assortment of plants that are suited for the growth zone I live in enables me to have a healthy looking garden most of the year.

1. Draw up Your Design to Give Yourself a Visual Map of It

If you are planning a rather large garden and aren’t sure as to where all the flowers and such need to be placed, try making a map of your future garden space. Draw in the spaces where particular flowers are supposed to be. Make a note on each flower about their bloom time and how tall they will ultimately grow to be.

Using these 5 tips, you should be able to plan an outstanding garden. If you’ve already designed a garden in the past, what steps did you take?

Top Photo Credit: Steel Steve