Things You'll Need:
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Books on plants
- A list of favorite plants
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Step 1
Ask yourself how much time you have and want to spend on your garden. Buy plants that will fit into your time constraints.
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Step 2
Look at your house before buying plants. You need to buy plants that fit in with your house's decor, as well as your personality.
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Step 3
Take stock of your yard. Notice where the shade and sunlight are. If you want to sit in the shade in your garden, you may need to add a tree, umbrella, gazebo or other shade-producing object. Your plants will need plenty of sunlight so they will need to be in the sunny areas.
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Step 4
Test your soil to determine what can grow adequately and to see if you need to add any nutrients to your soil.
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Step 1
Research the styles of gardens, and choose the one that fits your family best.
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Step 2
Decide if you want a formal garden or an informal one.
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Step 3
Think about whether you want a lot of plants or a lot of room in your garden. For families with children, gardens with room are usually best.
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Step 1
Measure your garden. Decide on a scale for your plan, based on how big your garden is and the size of your paper. Engineering graph paper is best with a scale of ½ inch for every foot of garden. For flip-chart graph paper, a scale of 2 inches for every foot is best.
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Step 2
Draw a picture of the garden as you want it to look. Make sure you add a compass to the drawing.
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Step 3
Use felt or miniature fake flowers to make a model of your garden plan if you prefer a three-dimensional approach. This is especially useful if you have small children who want to be involved but are too little to help.
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Step 4
Place wood or string around your desired garden bed to outline it. Place photos of the desired flowers or fake flowers where you want your flowers to be, moving each object until it is just right.
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Step 5
Snap a photo of your life-size model. Now use the photo to create your garden.
