| There are many computerized design tools available | | | | about getting things perfect the first time, as this is only |
| today. To the technologically savvy gardener, these | | | | a draft. |
| tools are a blessing. Those who aren't comfortable | | | | Once your garden outline is ready, it's time to get |
| with such tools, on the other hand, can work just as | | | | specific. Plot out your gardening beds, compost bins, |
| well with a pen and some paper. If you're not sure | | | | and other necessary spaces onto your paper. Use a |
| how to design a garden, this is the best way to start. | | | | pencil so that it's easy to make corrections. Here are |
| Learning how to design a garden on paper is not as | | | | some tips you can keep in mind: |
| complicated as most people think. Before you begin, | | | | - As a gardener, do not be afraid to think out of the |
| you'll need some pencils and graphing paper. These | | | | box, literally. Remember that gardens don't necessarily |
| tools can be easily acquired from your local office | | | | have to be square or rectangular. Your garden can be |
| supply store. The graphing paper is an important | | | | any shape you want! If you stick you the traditional |
| choice because it allows you to easily plot a garden to | | | | garden shapes, you can end up compromising space |
| scale. After all, you won't need to spend much time | | | | for aesthetics. |
| drawing straight lines. | | | | - If the only space you have is a small triangular or |
| When you've gathered your tools, note down the | | | | circular patch of land, use it the best way you can. The |
| space of your garden. Find out how long the | | | | important thing is that the size of your beds are |
| boundaries are, the width of your garden, and its length. | | | | contained enough that so that you can still tend to it as |
| If you have access to your house plans or blueprints, it | | | | well as you would regular shaped beds. |
| might help to use them as your reference. If not, you | | | | - When plotting out your garden, keep the tallest plants |
| can use a tape measure to know the dimensions of | | | | and those that will need trellises at the north or |
| your garden. | | | | northeast side your garden. This will help ensure that |
| Now it's time to plot your garden on paper. Most | | | | the taller vegetables do not shade the other plants as |
| gardeners observe the rule that one foot in the garden | | | | they continue to grow. Now that you know how to |
| translates to one inch on the graphing paper. Those | | | | design a garden, you have no excuse to put it off. It's |
| who use the metric system can have one meter equal | | | | really easy to do if you have the right tools and know |
| to three or four centimeters on paper. Don't worry | | | | how to use them. |