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