Nursery Care Sheets

Garden Design

Whether you’ve just moved to a new home, or you just want to update your current landscaping, the design process can be quite daunting without the proper preparations. Taking the time to plan and come up with a design will be well worth it. The important thing to remember is that in designing your own space, it’s your opinion that counts. There are no rules. Choose plants in combinations that you like, in colors that you enjoy and watch your landscape design come to life in a way you will love.

Planning Ahead

This is the part of the project that often takes the most time, but can also be the most fun! Taking the time to think element through will save you time, money, and a lot of work in the long run.

Draw - as the design unfolds, it will be easier to visualize proportion and distance within this drawing. Also, don’t worry if your artistic talents have yet to be discovered, as long as the drawing is clear to you it will be a great tool.

  • Using graph paper, draw the area to scale. For example, one square on paper equals one square foot of garden space. Whatever scale you choose, be sure to remain consistent throughout the plan.
  • Take the time to measure, don’t just estimate. Taking shortcuts like this can prove costly when it comes time to install the plants.
  • Indicate any existing elements such as retaining walls, utilities boxes, plants, and anything else in the design area that is not going move. Also, note which way is north, south, east, and west to help to determine the amount of light or any shadows in a given area.

Take A Soil Sample - knowing the condition of the soil will be extremely important when making the plant selections later, as well as in preparing the site for planting. If you are not already familiar, simply dig just enough in the planting area to determine your soil type. Although there are several subclasses of soil type, the main classes are:

  • Clay soil - gummy, yellow to gray, and does not fall apart in your hands. It holds water well and has poor drainage. This will need to be amended before you plant
  • Sandy soil - loose, dry, and grainy. It is lacking in organic matter. It drains extremely well and dries out quickly. Organic matter should be mixed in before you plant.
  • Loamy soil - crumbly and dark in color, it already contains a good balance of soil ingredients and drains well. This is the ideal garden soil and rarely requires any amending.

Amending poor soil to improve drainage yet retain moisture will significantly improve the success of any planting. Well drained soil refers to water movement through the soil, not across the surface. Example: a hillside with clay soil is not necessarily a well drained site. Note areas of poor or good soil on the drawing.

Observe - pay attention to where that sun shines at certain times, say 9 am, 1 pm, and 5pm. Determine the sun and shade patterns in the area. Full shade is less than one hour of direct sun a day, partial shade is less than 4-5 hours of direct sun a day and full sun is 6 or more hours of direct sun a day. Note areas of more or less sun on the drawing. This helps to ensure success with the plant selection process.

Note geography - note any areas of distinction such as slopes, low areas where water may collect after a rain, where downspouts empty, where water flows during downpours, and areas which may be affected by strong winds. Knowing the characteristics of the landscape may alter or enforce a design. Also consider the overall shape and size of the garden. Planning to avoid sharp curves that may be difficult to mow around or allowing for a buffer around beds to allow for easy access to the bed itself or nearby window, gutters, decks, or even to get at trees that are regularly trimmed.

Plant Selection - using the information gathered about the soil type, sun exposure, and geography, begin by planning the proportion of the plant material. Create an ideal for shapes and sizes without getting to caught up in individual plant selections. Thinking about form first will help when faced with a multitude of options at the garden center. Once you have that in mind, finding specific plants for your design will be easy. Now is a good time to go back to those idea sources and identify any plants that you liked and any others that you’ve come across that will work in your design. It is much easier to find a place for those plants you have to have before the area is filled in with your second choices. See it is helpful to plan ahead!

Planting - once plant selections have been made, you are ready to plant your materials and bring your design to life! Remember to have fun and satisfy your own tastes and design will be a success!

Need Help? Consult with local nursery professionals to ask questions and get helpful suggestions based on the information you already know about your space. These people are valuable resources and are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience with you about the plant material

Secrets to Success

Great design have great flow. This can be achieved using any of the design elements - plant type, texture, color, shape or plant form. Keeping the eye moving through the design will create an overall harmonious effect.

Avoid randomness. Repeated elements form a consistency from which a specimen will actually stand out. Selecting three to five plants with which repeated drifts of color, texture, etc. Can tie the landscape design together.

Include specimens plants. A plant with unique characteristics to the rest of the plants will stand out on their own. However, to truly showcase these plants, place them in such a way so as not to detract from their differences, but flaunt them. For example, place a fine textured plant among a grouping with large flat leaves to enhance a textural difference.

The garden design should reflect you and your individual style, but don’t limit yourself to what you’re familiar with. More and more plant varieties are developed each year, so there’s always something new to check out at the garden center.