Gardening is a hobby that brings joy, entertainment, and a better quality of life. It is a creative activity, the

result of which is a more aesthetically appealing home.

Thoughtful planning of a garden starts with the type of garden you would like to have. Deciding on a type of garden is essential before choosing which design elements to include. Will your garden be just a place to plant a bunch of flowers, which will blossom only during the growing season? Or would you rather have a thoughtfully-chosen herb garden? Or maybe just a vegetable plot?

Another issue to consider is the climate in your location. It can be surprising how little we know about the facts, figures and statistics of the weather where we live. You may want to consult an online map to get statistical data regarding climate elements like rainfall per month or average temperatures.

The next step, after having decided about the type of garden

and after investigating the local climate, is to figure out

the plants that you would like to grow in your garden. Think

of plants that are suitable for the duration of the growing

season in your location and that will survive the changes in

temperature, typical for your location.

The thoughtful planning of a garden involves one more factor

to consider - how much shade is necessary for each of the

plants. You need to make sure that there is enough light all

over the places you plan to plant your garden.

When you have finished with planning in theory, it is time

to start planning the plots in your garden. Again, think for

a good plan - one that brings joy, is easy to keep to, and

at the same time efficiently uses the available space.

Think about where to place plants that require a lot of

sunlight. The best place for such plants is away from

buildings and taller trees because these block the light at

daytime.

Deciding which plants to grow near the house, and which

should be in the open also requires some thought. If you

prefer the sunshine streaming through your windows, then you

are best not to have bulky trees or bushes near the house,

where they will block the sunlight.

If you have decided that you will be growing herbs and

vegetables, the best place for them is near the house. When

they are near the house, it is more likely that you will be

using them for cooking. Besides convenience, you should also

think about the location of vegetables as far as their needs

for sunlight are concerned. This is especially true if yours

is mainly a vegetable garden.

Last, but not least, take into account your personal

preferences, when designing a garden. If there are

particular extras you would like to have, for instance

winding pathways or gazebos, include them in the initial

design of the garden. Your outdoor garden is constrained

only by the limits of your creativity and the growing season

in your location.