Garden Planning Tips

Track shadows at three points during the day: morning, midday, and late afternoon. Areas with six or more hours of direct sun are full sun, four to six hours are partial sun, and less than four are shade. This mapping determines which plants will thrive where.

Planting everything too close together. Plants look small in the nursery, but most double or triple in size within a season. Check the mature spread on the label and space accordingly, even if the garden looks sparse at first.

Yes. A basic soil test reveals pH, nutrient levels, and drainage characteristics. Most garden failures trace back to soil problems that are cheap to fix before planting but expensive to fix after.

Choose plants from at least three seasonal bloom groups: spring bulbs, summer perennials, and fall foliage or ornamental grasses. Add evergreen structure so the garden does not look empty in winter.

Divide your yard into use zones: entertaining, growing, relaxing, and utility. Assign rough proportions before picking plants. A clear zone plan prevents the common problem of a garden that looks busy but has no usable space.

Critical. If you cannot walk to every bed comfortably, maintenance becomes a chore and plants get trampled. Plan paths at least 60 cm wide for single-person access and 120 cm for shared paths or wheelbarrow access.