Garden design for dummies?

I am the kind of gardener who buys a plant that I "must have" but then have no idea where to put it. So, my garden looks more like a plant collection than a "real" garden. I am looking for a book that is quite specific, as I am pretty dumb when it comes to combining plants in a pleasing way. Any suggestions? Tamara

Take pictures and play around with the pictures to see what looks good to you and/or try combos out in large containers. Go with whatever looks good to you.

The pics are great for entertaining yourself during winter too :).

I've been struggling with the same thing, Tamara. One thing that has helped is to get a bunch of gardening magazines and books (is there a Half-Price Books near you?) and tear out the pictures of gardens you like. Don't analyze them... just tear them out and make a pile. When you are all done, then start sifting through your pile and decide WHAT you liked in the gardens. What colors/textures/combinations did they have together? What do their beds look like? Then you have an idea of what you like and what you would like your yard to look like.

I posted pictures of my garden in Curb Appeal and asked for other people's input, too. It was very helpful to hear other perspectives even if I don't use all of the advice. :-)

~ Marylyn

Great suggestion, Marilyn- I cut out pictures from garden magazines, but didn't think of going back over them to make notes.

Thanks, Marylyn! I will take pics and post them and see what people have to say. :-) Tamara

You can rip plants you like out of pics and glue them to others too or just move them around. Or place it higher or lower in a pic you do like to get an idea for color or form.

zone5girl,

I ended up taking some ideas from the Better Homes & Gardens landscape site:

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/category.jhtml?categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/gardenplans.xml&psrc=ssad

Then I looked up each and every flower in the plans I liked on DG's plantfiles. Then I nixed what I liked and went from there.

I have narrowed the field of what will actually work for me by clipping the nice flower catalogs and putting the pics in a binder with dividers on what to try on each side of the yard (N, S, E, W) and I noted if each side was full sun/part shade, etc. Then I looked up those flowers on DG.

Now I can say after giving myself sooo much work to do (and having to rip out my first attempt at a bed...gone wrong) I will NEVER buy an impulse plant again. Now I respect being more careful about what I buy because buying something that turns out wrong ends up taking me more time.

Have fun with the link, it was really a great site for me as a beginner!


This message was edited Jun 2, 2006 2:53 PM

Thank you so much, Aimee! :-) Tamara

Color wheels are available at arts and craft stores. You will never again wonder, what color with what other color? White is used for focal points, blue is good for blending opposing color schemes together (hot-pastels).

I go to the library and get out books to LOOK at. I have my whole property sketched to scale. When I want to add a new bed I draw it in for the shape.

Take walks and look at other peoples gardens. Spend time at nursery's, pick up plants and put them by others to see what they look like together. See what colors complement each other, which blend together and which ones make each other pop out.

Think about how much care you want to give each kind of plant and choose accordingly. I want no fuss plants so there are a lot I don't choose.

Decide if you want formal, cottage etc and then what plants are used in which garden.

My first attempts were to buy a plant, go home and figure out where I wanted it and then dig a spot. I ended up with a real weird mixture. Fortunately perennials don't seem to be moved around that much. I love color and more color. So when I choose a plant it is by color, size, blooming season, texture and most of all what I like.

As my taste changes the plants get moved around.

The whole process is so much fun and never ending.

I vote for the Curb Appeal forum too. I have learned a lot there.

You are more than welcome Tamara. Hope it helps!