Things to take into consideration...

When planning your garden, there are some things you really need to take into consideration before you start.  And, yes, just giving in to that sudden "impulse buy" when you are at the Walmart seems good at the time, but you can waste quite a bit of money that way. 

1.  How big is this garden going to be?

At our house, gardening is one of those hobbies that involves the whole family.  My husband is the "designer."  I'm the "manager."  And our children are the "assistants."  I like the idea of the kids putting down the GameCube™ and DS™ hand-held games long enough to assist with our garden and to get a little fresh air.  They like the fact that I give them a bit of extra allowance for helping.  And, believe me, it's not always an easy task.  Those apples can be a real pain to pick up off of the ground. And the lawn seems to have a love-hate relationship with the weeds.  The robins and sparrows are always looking for a free meal from the blackberry bush.  (So, the kids scream at them and try to wave them off.)  And the Zen garden needs a rake taken to it.  Still, it keeps everyone busy and involved.  But, before we started all of that, my husband asked the question, "How big is this moon garden going to be?"  So, doing the logical thing that we always do...we sketched it out. 

Probably the most common mistake that anyone can make is in designing a garden that is way TOO BIG!  When you've got a garden design that is huge--really, really huge--you'll start feeling overwhelmed.  Of course, if you've got the money to hire private help from the outside, that's not so bad.  But, if you are going solo, you still need to think about placing limits on the garden design.  Of course, you don't need to get it all now.  If you are just starting out, you could design a small rose bed with a few white roses to see if you like it.   Then again, don't just limit yourself to roses.  There's a lot out there!  For a design by Better Homes and Gardens, click here.

2.  How much time do you want to spend on keeping up this garden?

There is that wonderful fantasy of the "effortless garden."  Ah, fairytales...!   Many people want to have a garden, but forget all of the time invested in just getting it started.  But that's not the only problem.  Following the initial planning and planting, there's the upkeep.   This always makes me think back to those garden shows on HGTV.  Don't get me wrong.  I love the TV programs, but I always laugh when I watch ultra rich people going from a yard of "dirt" to a spectacular fantasy garden of fancy plants and exotic trees.  They've spent so much money at one time to get an "instant garden" that the word "yard" doesn't really apply to them anymore.  Then, they flash on the screen just how much money was spent.  Well, I sincerely hope that they calculate the cost of "gardeners," too, because it takes a lot of time to take care of that many plants.  (And, I don't really see those folks putting on gloves and knowing which end of a rake to use...)  There's the watering, fertilizing, weeding, etc. etc.  So, my bit if advice is "don't bite off more than you can chew." 

3.  How much money do you want to invest into things like garden tools, soil, fertilizer, etc.?

Well, to keep from going over budget (which is a high priority with my husband), I would suggest researching the cost of plants--locally and on the Internet.  Make a list of what you want and a notation of where you're putting it.  Then, I would encourage you to live off a "cash economy."  Once you've spent all of the cash in the envelope, you're out of money and you can stop right there.  This "no credit card rule" may sound harsh at first, but it works and you start looking for just the plants (and tools, garden art, etc.)  you really want instead of impulse buying.

4.  Do you know anything about your soil?

There are many ways to get to know your soil.  Test kits that you can drop off or have mailed in can be good.  I also like to ask the local gardeners and pros about what's going on with the soil.  Since gardening is a hobby for me, I like chatting with real people who can give me direct answers to simple questions.

5.  What is the end result that you are looking for?

When all is said and done, what do you imagine your garden will look like?  Remember, when you put the plants in, that they will eventually "grow up."  The way things look now will not be the same two or three years from now.  So, don't let that hackberry tree grow right next to your house and ruin the foundation.  Look at the now, but also at the long-term way of things.