Gardenscape On A Shoestring

Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while thinking that it takes years, a professional, or tons of money to landscape the gardens featured in the glossy pictures. This isn't necessarily true. You can design a breathtaking garden and be the envy of the neighborhood by following some of the following tips.

Know What You Like and What Works

Drive around your neighborhood and see what's out there that grows well in your zone. You can jot down what you see on index cards, so they are organized and handy. Start gathering page clippings from magazines and collect some pictures of the designs that interest you. This can help you decide what garden style you like. You'll have an easy reference for plants and placement too.

Select Location and Color

Next, look at your notes and clippings and choose the color scheme you'd like to have in your garden. Don't forget to keep in mind if you're designing and planting in shade, sun, or partial shade or partial sun. Are you looking for something bright and vibrant or something more calming and soothing? Consider starting with a foundation of shrubs and accenting with some perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses, and annuals for more seasonal color. Perhaps, you want all flowers. Decide on a shape that complements your house style. Straight styles give a more formal appearance while curves give a more informal feel. If you don't feel confident selecting colors, you can use a color wheel to help pick contrasting and complimenting colors.

Budget and Create a Plan

Decide how much you are able to and want to spend on your new garden. Do you want to start with a foundation and add to it gradually? If so, start with purchasing your most expensive plants and shrubs first. Use these as a focal point for your garden. Start watching for sales and discount plants at garden centers and nurseries. Tell everyone you know that you're starting a garden and would love it if they could give you divisions of their perennials or seeds they have saved from their garden. Let family and friends know that you have a wish list of plants that would be the perfect gift idea. If you have access online, do a search for seed swaps. Many gardeners love to help a new gardener. Many are willing to send seeds for the cost of postage or will trade for something else that you may have that they are looking for. A great resource for free items is http://www.freecycle.org Look for a group in your area, join the group, and post letting the group know that you would be interested in garden plants and seeds. You may get lucky and find that a member of the group has already offered some plants up for grabs. Don't forget to ask your local garden club when they are having their sales too. You can also start some plants from seed yourself. Many seeds are very easy to direct sow and a little can go a long way.

Here's a partial list of easy to grow seeds:

Candytuft
Asters
4 o'clocks
Sunflowers
Pansies
Violas
Impatiens
Dianthus
Larkspur
Salvia
Cupid's Dart
Morning Glories
Moonflowers
Zinnias
Calendula
Marigold
Cosmos
Sweet Alyssum
Bee Balm
Poppies
Nasturtium

Don't forget if you decide to sow into containers, there are many inexpensive containers such as yogurt containers, milk jugs, egg cartons, and plastic ice cream buckets. You can also call your city and see if they have free mulch available. Don't hesitate to strike up conversations with your neighbors while you're out for a walk. You never know, the topic of gardening may come up and they might be more than happy to offer you some seeds or divisions.

Design Away

Now you're ready to design. You can sketch out your idea beforehand. Keep the following in mind as you design.

Scale- Judge the size of the area and choose plants that aren't going to be too large, too wide, or too small for the area. Keep in mind the plant's size when it's met it's mature growth.

Balance-Don't place your plants where one area is too compacted with plants and another area is too airy. Try and achieve a good balance of small, medium, and large plants. Balance offers visual stability. It can be created with space between plantings or the visual weight of your design. This can be created with lines so that your garden is pleasing to look at from all angles.

Focal Point- Your focal point will be the area that your eye is drawn to first. This can be your prized flowers, tree, or shrub.

Rhythm- This is visual flow. The eye wanders throughout the entire garden design, but comes back to the focal point. It can be achieved with repetition and contrast.

Harmony-Unity- This is when plants have a way of appearing connected and a part of one another. This can be achieved with color, texture, groupings. Unity is lost when your plants look too separate or your color choice makes one plant look lost amongst the rest.

Color- Color impacts the entire design process. Use a color wheel if you don't feel confident selecting colors that go well together.

If all of this is too confusing and overwhelming, check out some garden catalogs. Many have suggested designs. It's also best to place your containers out and arrange and rearrange where you want to plant them before you start digging.

Accessorize (Homemade Garden Art)

To add some interest and whimsy to your garden, consider some homemade items or trash to treasure works of art. Ideas such as making your own stepping stones, garden markers, terra cotta bird baths or toad houses, painted rocks and pavers, and fun wind chimes are simple projects that can add a lot of interest to your garden area. Look around for unique items you could add to your garden such as milk cans, wooden chairs, ladders, tricycles, wagons, trunks, roofing shingles, mailboxes, or even dressers. The sky is the limit on what you can create. Use your imagination.

There you have it and you didn't have to hire a pro, spend thousands of dollars, or take years to achieve a pretty garden. You won't be a new gardener for long. Soon, it will be you sharing starts, cuttings, seeds, divisions, and tips.

Sara Noel is a freelance writer and the Editor/Publisher of http://www.FrugalVillage.com and http://www.HomesteadGarden.com Visit both these sites for information on getting back to basics through frugality, gardening, lost arts, simplicity, homesteading, and natural family living.

---

Landscaping Design - The Primary Principles

Principles refer to standards or prescriptions for working with or... Read More

Growing Tomatoes Organically

Tomato Seeds Vs. Tomato Seedlings?Whether you start your own tomato... Read More

Laying Out Your Landscape Part Two

Part Two in a SeriesOnce you have your landscape design... Read More

Edible Flowers in Your Garden

Flowers can be an integral part of cooking. While most... Read More

How To Grow Luscious Tomatoes

The tomato is the most commonly grown vegetable in the... Read More

Garden Statuary - Time for a Fresh New Look

Spring is coming, and now is the time to get... Read More

The Perfect Garden Sundial

Is it possible for a garden sundial to tell perfect... Read More

Plant Hardiness Zones

When selecting plants for the landscape, is important to select... Read More

Tuscan Garden Design

If you're looking for a beautiful, old world garden style,... Read More

Feeding the Hummingbirds

Early in May here in west central Wisconsin, I can... Read More

Enjoy Creating and Growing a Sustainable Garden While Feeding Your Family

A sustainable garden means one that can be sustained over... Read More

Fake Grass

The history of artificial or fake grass is to say... Read More

A Look at Planting Flower Bulbs

Flowers are a favorite of many backyard gardeners. Thanks to... Read More

Everyone Loves Flowers

Flowers Truly Reach Your Soul.Flowers are a heartfelt, natural way... Read More

Bird Baths in Your Yard

HOOEEEHas summer come in with a bang!Heat waves everywhere.And where... Read More

Patio Design and Patio Furniture - The Use of Focal Points

A focal point is an important design element; it is... Read More

How to Grow a Pineapple

The first thing you need to grow a pineapple is... Read More

Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers

Some of the best gifts you can give to a... Read More

Layer Your Plantings

Part three in a seriesIn our last article, we helped... Read More

Professional Lawn Watering Techniques - Wireless Sensors for Lawns in Drought Areas

The technnology secrets will help home owners maintain lawns in... Read More

The Indoor Garden: Plants that Clean the Air

There are many reasons for creating an indoor garden ?... Read More

Wooden Garden Furniture

Wooden Garden Furniture can be the ideal solution to various... Read More

Gardening with Bamboo

Myths and facts A misconception about bamboo is that they... Read More

10 Tips to Care for Your Antique Ceramics

To care for your antique ceramics you need a gentle... Read More

Growing Palms

Palms Everybody recognises palm trees, they are the... Read More

Iris Flowers Remind Me Of Mom!

Iris flowers always bring memories of mom to mind. Let... Read More

Winter Gardening

As the end of summer approaches, unfortunately far too quickly,... Read More

Orchids Are One Of Natures Most Beautiful Flowers

Orchids are beautiful flowers. The interesting thing about orchids is... Read More

Preparing The Garden For Winter

Are you like me? Sad to see the summer end... Read More

Compost YES, Epsom Salts NO

You'll often hear garden writers recommending the use of Epsom... Read More

Gardening for Birds Part 2

We've had some well needed rain this past week, though... Read More

Xeriscaping is Waterwise Gardening

What is xeriscaping? You may have heard of xeriscaping as... Read More

Unique Flowers make a memorable gift!

Think "outside of the box" when sending your next floral... Read More