Garden Designer,Garden Decoration

Ann Marier

The front yard of a home is a statement to the whole neighborhood of what the people who live in the house are like. Some yards are cluttered with junk or cars and do not speak well for the owners. Other yards have overgrown bushes and trees that say there is not much care being given to the home.

Having a beautiful front garden design can be a statement of great ownership. The time and effort put into the front garden design will not only look nice but will increase the value of the home and make the owners proud of their accomplishment.

Natural Front Garden Designs

There are many things to consider when designing the front garden. The first thing to consider is the location of the home. A home in the southwest desert will have a totally different front garden design than one in the northeast. Another consideration is the amount of care a person wants to take to maintain the front garden design.

Many people in desert areas where water is scarce and the summer season is extremely hot find that a natural garden design works great. Using rock, pebbles and drought tolerant plants can make a beautiful front garden design that will be able to stand up to the severe temperatures.

In very cold climates the homeowner may want to use the natural theme but will modify it. Evergreens make a beautiful natural garden design for such a climate. Looking for other native plants to the climate will insure that the front garden design will have lasting beauty.

Rocks and stone will look beautiful in cold climates as well and make great items for borders. Whatever the climate, using the natural products of the land will help make a nice front garden design.

Inviting Front Garden Designs

If the homeowner wants people to always feel welcome there are ways to say this with the front garden design. One of the most important aspects of welcoming people is making a clear walkway. Keeping the bushes and large plants away from walkways will make the home more accessible.

Another important aspect is using welcoming plants and colors. Bright cheery flowers say welcome better than about anything else. Early spring flowers such as tulips, crocus, and daffodils will invite people out of their winter doldrums. Bushes with bright green foliage can be placed to show the way to the door of the home.

Avoiding plants with thorns or a lot of pollen will make people feel more welcome and prevent injury or allergies. The front garden design of the home should be well manicured and inviting.

When creating a design for your garden, you might choose to have a theme or goal for your garden. For example, you may want to attract certain birds, bees, or butterflies to your garden. As a result, your garden can be enjoyed by not only the creatures which are attracted to the garden, but also by you.

Attracting butterflies is a popular theme for many gardeners. The goal, of course, is to create a butterfly garden design that butterflies will find attractive. There are many considerations and features to include in the butterfly garden design. You’ll want to take the time to find just the right elements for the garden location and for the types of plants needed to attract the butterflies. Though it’s not hard to create a butterfly garden design, there are many helpful gardening books and internet sites where additional information can be found.

Plants for a Butterfly Garden Design

Adult butterflies are attracted to flowers. Butterflies feed on the nectar from the flowers. Incorporating many flowering plants of various colors into the butterfly garden design will inevitably attract adult butterflies. Plants such as butterfly bush, butterfly weed, azalea, lilac, marigold and impatiens will be big attractors.

Milkweed, dogbane, thistles and nettles are appropriate plants if the goal of the butterfly garden design is to make an attractive area for butterflies at all stages of life. These are not usually desirable plants for your garden, but these plants offer a location for butterflies to lay their eggs and create a food source for the resulting caterpillars to feed.

A Few Other Items to Include In a Butterfly Garden Design

Water is a necessary element for your butterfly garden design. A small pool, a bird bath, or a couple small pans inset in the soil will make nice pools of water for the butterflies. Also, butterflies need an area where they can warm themselves. Dark rocks or other solid objects that absorb the heat from the sun can be place around the garden where the butterflies can stop and rest.

Fresh fruit can be placed throughout your garden to supplement the butterfly’s diet. Be sure to replace the fruit often so that it is always fresh. Hummingbird feeders are useful to butterflies and can be placed in the garden. Butterflies will use the feeder and, as a bonus, hummingbirds will enjoy your garden.

Finally, don’t forget to add a small bench and perhaps even a gazebo so that you can sit and enjoy your beautiful butterfly garden design. And don’t forget to have some fun!

There is not any shortage of designer manner when it comes up to the Couture garbs. Anyone that is well-known with the Butter Designer Clothes wearable makes out that this fashion designer company only evolves appareling attained are of the uttermost stiffest quality materials..

Complete of the apparels in the Butter Designer Clothes line are fashioned for comfortableness as well as for spirits. If one wants to costume guardedly there is no trouble as there is tidy sum of garbs to select from but for those that are slight bit more sociable and merriment prone there is a outstanding pick as well here.

If you are in shop for buying at for a novel couture apparel then you need to decide on the fundamental intention such as is it lasting to be for lounging, casual or office possibly. This is going to notice the expressive style that you are engaged in most as well as the cloths. One must not forget about the forms in the colorations of the garments as well.

While we have spoke about the rare garment that are involved in the Butter Designer Clothes article of clothing lineage we mustn t forget that there is Complete characters of garmenting acquirable by this fashion designer and each and every piece is utterly made and 100% latest. Not simply is there clothing for men but there is Butter Designer Clothes article of clothing purchasable for the full family.

Some individuals may conceive that it is hardly a waste of money to purchase fashion designer article of clothing for children. On the adverse, fashion designer wearable such as the Juicy Coutour is highly considerably gained and long-lasting and in the end is much to a greater extent long lasting than the standard make mark would be. This is an imparted bonus when the kid can not exclusively wear designer garbs but that they are as long-run and are going to tolerate up to whatsoever they are subjected to by the junior ones.

It does not weigh whether you are in the marketplace for winter wearing apparel or summer clothes because when it comes to Butter Designer Clothes clothing you are not moving to witness a shortfall of a choice no weigh what the time of year.

When it comes to the summer tops one really has to consider the T-shirts as well as the tanks that are put up by Butter Designer Clothes, as they are bright and picturesque and can be put on either as casual assume or for something a little fancier.

The one gracious thing about the fashion designer dresses that Butter Designer Clothes article of clothing comprises of is that there is always such a wide reach of color. Different thing that is actually meticulous and incomparable about the tops is that you induce a Gratifying diversity of the type of sleeves you wish. Whether you require to go sleeveless or the half or full length there is a option for your penchant and not only a few pieces but a Superb selection as well.

One could not finish speaking about the Butter Designer Clothes dressing designer lineage without noting the graphic tees. Everybody looks to love some sort of printer graphic on their-shirts and their tops. Butter Designer Clothes has constructed sure that there has not been anything nonexistent in this designer describe. When it amounts to the arts in the Butter Designer Clothes clothing product line you are lasting to stimulate a great deal of alternatives and they are not only extraordinary but there are lots of sport.

Every garden has a bit of fantasy in it and, for Houstonians longing for the look and feel of, say, Tuscany or the Italian Renaissance period, no garden fills that desire like a Mediterranean landscape design.

Combining elegant elements of nature with the relaxed Mediterranean culture, the Mediterranean landscape design can go from simple, yet cultivated to elaborate lavishness. Crystal clear water and outdoor water fountains, sweet herbs right off the vine to be used in outdoor kitchens, relaxed spaces for entertainment, and lush, practical vegetation characterized the Mediterranean landscape design.

Just as a rose by any other name smells sweet, so too the Mediterranean landscape design. It is known variously as Andalusian, Santa Barbara Revival, Tuscan and Moroccan styles. Primarily taking its name from the climate of the Mediterranean region and southern Europe, it falls midway between the broad formal and informal garden design categories. The influences of classic landscape design can clearly be seen in this style due to the proximity and prominence of ancient Rome.

Mediterranean Landscape Design—Through History

The Mediterranean landscapes originated in ancient Arabia and evolved, as all garden styles have, throughout the centuries. Major influences were the gardens of Greece, Rome and Italy.

Since it is so closely associated with the warm, sometimes arid, climate of the Mediterranean region, this style has little in common with English garden design, largely due to plant material choices. Because of its evocation of another time and place, the Mediterranean landscape design stands apart from modern landscape designs with its emphasis on contemporary choices and imagery.

Features of Mediterranean Landscape Designs

You can pick and choose among several different striking features suitable for residential gardens done in the Mediterranean style. The byword to remember is “Old World ambiance.”

• Stone, weathered bricks, terra cotta tiles, flagstone, tumbled travertine
• Wooden beams
• Wrought iron
• Classical statuary and Roman columns
• Outdoor furniture that evokes Arabian, Moroccan or Italian sensibilities

The architecture of the house needs to be carefully considered when using a Mediterranean landscape design. Actually the house dictates this choice, as some architectural styles—Colonial and Federal-style come to mind—would jar the senses if paired with a Mediterranean garden. The intelligent placement of a hardscape feature, perhaps a wrought iron garden gate in the curvaceous style of Barcelona, can be used to solidify the connection to your home.

When this style is appropriate, the home and landscape can also be tied together through selective use of plantings. Your choice of plants, in fact, further defines your Mediterranean design:

• Trees and shrubs. Given the hot climate from which this style arose, shade is extremely important—making it perfect for the Houston area. Live oaks, with their twists and turns, look lovely in this garden. Also, Italian cypress, olive trees and fruit trees such as orange and lemon trees.

• Vines. Use creeping vines like wisteria and grapevines.

• Herb gardens. Basil, rosemary, sage and thyme enhance the Italian influence and create enticing smells. Herbs are especially attractive in terra cotta planters.

• Vegetable gardens. Since authentic Mediterranean gardens are practical, heralding back to their roots in farming cultures, a vegetable garden fits right into the landscape. A vegetable garden not only provides sustenance, but also color.

The Spaces of the Mediterranean Landscape Design

The residential garden with a Mediterranean flair is beautiful and relaxed, capturing the easy living of the outdoors. In choosing the spaces and hardscapes to further augment that tone, consider these options:

• Outdoor kitchens. A focal point of outdoor entertainment, a summer kitchen provides a natural gathering place. Its design should tie the house and the landscape together and must, above all, be functional.

• Outdoor water fountains. Water is a critical part of the Mediterranean landscape design, so consider fountains done in an Italianate, Romanesque or rustic style. Be mindful of scale—you want the fountain to be in proportion to the rest of the landscape. Also consider the sightlines of the shooting water from your favorite viewing spot.

• Luxury swimming pools. Within the Mediterranean landscape design, classic shapes, like rectangles and circles, work well. Which, given the versatility of basic forms, means the pools can be simple and austere—or eye-catching and mesmerizing. Often, you can combine them with an outdoor water fountain that eliminates some redundancies while adding vitality to your overall design.

• Walkways. Gravel, stone, bricks and flagstone work well for paths in the Mediterranean landscape design. Neutral colors are preferred.

Final Thoughts on the Mediterranean Landscape Design

Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds says, “Our clients travel to Europe and come home wanting to emulate a scene that they fell in love with in Italy, Tuscany, Spain or Greece. As the name implies, Mediterranean gardens are usually formal, dry-climate gardens. They have the same attributes—linearity, use of axis and central focal points—of formal landscape design. I think their most distinguishing feature is in their use of materials: limestone or gravels for paths, junipers, Italian cypress, dwarf yaupons and other blue-green or grey dry plants. Think of the dry, rocky hills of Austin with olive groves.”

He goes on to say, “What surprises people most with this type of design is the amount of math and order that it takes to create chaos in a garden.”

Mary Amos

Two Types of Vegetable Gardens

For those of us who love to nurture and consume vegetables, home gardening is a great activity to take part in. Once you have decided to have your own vegetable garden, the next step is to decide what type of vegetable garden you want. There are two types of gardens: land gardens and container gardens. When one plants vegetables in the ground, it is called land gardening. When one plants vegetables in pots, it is called container gardening. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Find out which is right for you through this simple guide to land and container vegetable gardening.

Land Vegetable Gardening

To plant a vegetable garden on solid ground, you must carefully determine the size, location, and soil of your garden.

When you're planning a garden, it's important to decide the size of garden you want. In order to easily maintain a garden, you should start out small with a small garden and gradually expand if you later on desire to. I recommend starting out with a garden of 25 square feet or smaller. As you get the hang of gardening, you can expand your garden to be as big as you wish.

Before beginning a vegetable garden on solid ground, consider the location of your garden. Plants need about six hours of sunlight in order to fulfill their potential. Therefore, it is inadvisable to place your garden where there is a lot of shade. You should also make sure that you can locate your garden in a place with sufficient drainage. To protect your vegetables from drowning, make sure you can position your garden away from the bottoms of hills and other places where water is likely to collect.

Before planting in the ground, you should make sure that the soil is compatible for gardening. Soil that's slightly loose and simple to till is best. Stay away from hard, difficult-packed soil. If your yard has mediocre soil, mulch or compost will be a big help for your garden. In fact, composting won’t only greatly help your garden, it will also decrease the amount of your trash.

If you have the desired size, location, and soil for a land garden, you will enhance your chances for success in gardening on solid ground for beginners.

Container Gardening

If, on the other hand, you have little space, little sunshine, infertile soil, or impaired mobility, you may want to grow vegetables in containers. Container gardening allows you to position the plants in places where they can receive the best growing conditions in your area. Container gardening also creates better pest management and a chance to have color in areas where you want color. The downside of container gardening is that containers demand daily watering, which you must do by hand.

Some plants are especially fit for container-gardening. Vegetables that grow appropriately in containers are those that are used to growing in confined spaces, such as salad greens, spinach, eggplant, Swiss chard, beets, radish, carrots, peppers, bush beans, tomatoes, bush varieties of summer squash and cucumbers, green onions, and many herbs. Other plants will also grow well in pots, even if they are not meant for container gardening.

Regardless of the type or size of container used, adequate drainage is a necessity for successful plants. It is wise to add about 1 inch of coarse gravel in the bottom of the container to control drainage. For most vegetable crops, 5-gallon containers are the most appropriate size.

Some Last Notes

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to have a garden without pests, and land gardens attract the most bugs. Unless you want to use chemicals, you will have to kill any pests on the plants yourself and with the help of pest-eating bugs. You can buy these pest-eating bugs, such as ladybugs or praying mantis, from garden stores to get rid of pests. For larger bugs like grasshoppers and such, you will have to pick them off by hand.

Another issue you may have while vegetable gardening is to make sure the weeds do not take over your garden, especially if you have a land garden. If you don’t go out daily to pick the weeds, the weeds will choke out the plants and take over. Watering your garden is important not only to keep your plants alive and healthy, but also to repel some of the bugs that might otherwise eat your plants.

Your Final Decision

Vegetable gardening is a rewarding experience, because you end up with a delicious plant harvest. The question is whether you should start a land garden or container garden. This question is usually answered by one’s own resources. If you have an area outdoors that is sunny for at least six hours a day and yields good soil, opt for the land garden. If you live in a city, let’s say, and do not have a parcel of land to garden on, then create a container garden. Either way, don’t miss out on the cherishing moments of farming in and eating from a vegetable garden. If you loved the ripe vegetables that grandma used to grow, you should relive those precious memories by starting your own land or container vegetable garden..

It's August, the weather has cooled a bit here and the summer monsoons where I live in New Mexico have begun. The kids are starting back to school and I feel the onset of fall. I'm getting that garden planning itch again! It happens 2-3 times a year... This time, it's time to start ordering bulbs and perennials for fall planting. I'm always planning how my garden will look better next season and I suppose most of you do the same. Fall is the perfect time to plant for established growth next spring!

Take a good look at your garden now and think about areas you need to fill in. Do you need late season color, early spring blooms? Are there bare spots or places where plants like poppies or tulips go dormant and you need a filler to keep your garden alive with color? I find the best time for next years planning is in the fall when bloom time and plant combinations are fresh in my mind.

You may be disappointed with a plant combination you chose last season. Fall is the perfect time to rearrange. Get rid of overgrown plants and revive areas with new color or foliage combinations. Think about areas in your bulb or perennial garden you want to develop. What size, shape and bloom color do you need? Plant them this fall and watch your pans come to fruition come spring.

Shrubs and trees do take years to mature and fill their place. You can get a jump start by planting them this fall. When spring arrives they'll be much more hardy and will require less babying.

Fall is the perfect time to mail order bulbs, perrenials, shrubs, hedges and trees. We're winding down the season and if you're anything like me you're just not ready to quit quite yet. Sure there's clean up to be done, but I find more planting helps to finish those mundane cxhores. As I clean out I plant new!

Ordering online or by mail

Ordering plants online can be a bit scary. How are the plants shipped? Will they be good quality? Will they arrive at the right time and will I be prepared to plant them then?

Fear not! I've ordered in fall for years and have had tremendous results!

Plant Quality and Guarantees

Nurseries do differ in what and how they ship so make sure you do some research, but almost all reputable mail order nurseries do guarantee their plants to grow or your money back. I've never had trouble collecting on that promise and I have used it a time or two for certain plants. I also admit, a bit grudgingly as a then new gardener, that I should never have ordered those specific plants for my climate. Nevertheless the nursery did stand behind it's guarantee.

How Plants Are Shipped

Some plants will be shipped bare root, others as potted plants. This depends on the plant variety and I've actually found preference to bare root plants. They do look dead when they arrive (they are actually dormant), but I assure you that unless they have visible signs of disease like rot they'll thrive come spring.

*Note - If you do get any plants that look like the crown has rotted either ship them back immediately or just phone the nursery and they'll ship out new ones.

When to Plant

While you never know exactly when your plants will arrive, they are shipped to you at the proper planting time for your gardening zone. If plants arrive and it's not convenient to plant immediately just make sure you follow the directions included in your shipment for keeping your plants viable until you can plant them. If you've planned ahead you will know where they go and it'll take you little time to get them in the ground. A Saturday afternoon will usually give you ample time to get this done.

Keep in mind these companies have been in business for years and years and have shipped bare root and potted plants for eons. They do know what they're doing and most of them do it very well. They'd be out of business if they couldn't fulfill your planting requirements.

Gardening Budgets and Selection

You can't beat the cost and selection of ordering by mail! Most mail order companies offer plant varieties you'll never find anywhere else. The selections seem endless and I've been amazed what I can grow in New Mexico. Take advantage of fall specials and free shipping and you get a double bang for you buck. For about half of what I spend on a trip to the garden center on a single spring garden binge, I can have more variety and many more plants shipped to me at home.

Get on the Mailing Lists

Make sure you're on the mailing list for the following nurseries at least! You'll get a catologue several times a year. Take it into the garden with you,look around and plan accordingly. Then hop online and place an order or order by mail, but use the online resources for their help with plant combinations and companion planting. They offer great suggestions you may not have thought of before. Remember - pictures will help any gardener no matter how experienced.

Adding a garden can be the perfect way to spice up any home or office lawn. We have all seen enough boring lawns that have nothing other than a tree or a bush here and there. If you have some extra time on your hands this year, why not try getting creative by coming up with a garden design for your lawn and then getting to work making it happen.

If the idea of coming up with a garden design for your property sounds overwhelming, then get some help. There are countless numbers of landscape architects and professional gardening aides that will be more than happy to assist you in coming up with the best garden design for your needs and that fit your tastes. Do a quick search through the yellow pages or do an internet search to discover different options for getting help with your garden design.

There are things to be aware of when planning your garden design. First, consider honestly what kind of budget you can afford to put toward creating a garden design. Do not let the huge gardens of your neighbors or friends intimidate you. There is no shame in starting small. The important thing is to know your own budget and then to stick to it. Creating a garden design can get out of hand as quickly as any other home project can.

Another thing to be aware of when planning your garden design is what kind of time - realistically - you have to put in to tending your garden. Again, don't get caught in the trap of comparison here. Your garden design must simply be fit to your own needs and schedule. Don't get in over your head with a garden design that will take far too many hours to tend. If, however, money is not an issue, than you can always considering hiring someone to attend to the fruit of your garden design each week. Just be realistic and plan a garden design that truly fits your schedule.

Adding a garden can be one of the best things for your home or office lawn. Just do it with care. Read up on gardens and learn about the most strategic ways to create a garden design for your particular climate and soil type. There are many details to consider when making a garden design, so do it carefully and you'll be enjoying the benefits of a beautiful garden for years to come.

A flower garden can be a peaceful and beautiful refuge from the rest of the world. Sitting in the midst of fragrant flowers while reading a book or strolling along paths lined with flowers in cheerful colors can help you to wind down after a busy, stressful day. With some planning and work, a lovely flower garden can be yours to enjoy.

Planning Flower Garden Designs

Creating beautiful flower garden designs takes much planning and consideration. You will need to consider the types of flowers and combinations of colors you desire for the garden. You will also need to think about the placement of borders and shrubs as well as seating and ornaments. It is a good idea to choose an overall style for the garden and stick with it. When you begin your flower garden designs project, you should make a scale drawing of the design to help visualize your concepts.

Shapes in Flower Garden Designs

Decide upon the shape and pattern for your flower garden designs. Rectangular flower garden designs are a traditional shape and always popular. Circular shaped gardens add interest to the standard rectangular lawn. Flower gardens planted on a diagonal to the house can make a lawn appear larger than it actually is.

Styles of Flower Garden Designs

There are a number of styles of gardens that you can plant, and many of them are not too difficult to achieve. Some favorite flower garden designs are listed here.

Rose Flower Garden Designs

Rose Gardens are easy to plant and beautiful to see. In addition to modern roses, include fragrant, old-fashioned varieties of roses whose scent will delight. Plant bulbs in the beds and border them with seasonal flowers to keep the garden full of color during the blooming seasons.

Cottage Flower Garden Designs

Informal cottage gardens have an old-fashioned, rustic look about them. These flower garden designs incorporate the use of flowers, plants and vegetables.

Shade Flower Garden Designs

Shade gardens are good flower garden designs for spaces with many trees blocking the sunlight. There are many flowers that do well in shady areas, including impatiens, begonia, azalea, hosta and viola. The lack of leaves on the trees in spring allows spring bulbs to grow, filling the space with color.

Wildflower Flower Garden Designs

Wildflower gardens are flower garden designs that feature plants indigenous to the area where the garden is located. These gardens tend to require less pampering than some of the other types listed here, usually not requiring much weeding or amendments to the soil.

Butterfly Flower Garden Designs

Butterfly gardens are delightful flower garden designs, planted with flowers known to attract butterflies. Plants such as marigold, lilac, coreopsis, lavender, black-eyed susan and goldenrod are all good choices for butterfly gardens.

Hummingbird Flower Garden Designs

Likewise, hummingbird gardens are a good choice for those who enjoy spotting these small birds. Hummingbirds like richly colored flowers with sweet nectar and a tubular shape. Red and fuschia flowers in particular tend to attract hummingbirds. Some hummingbird garden favorites are morning glory, petunias, azalea, rose of sharon, delphinium and honeysuckle.

Len Q.

Not all garden pests are harmful for your garden. Some garden pests, in fact, provide excellent pest control to protect your plants from other quite harmful insects. Isn’t nature wonderful? Here are 5 well-known garden pests which you wouldn't object to having in your garden. Some very useful techniques are also offered on how you can attract these insects that are in your area over to your garden.

1. Praying mantis. Praying mantises are regarded as the consummate small-sized predator. They are something to behold in their natural environment. The manner in which they hunt down their prey is methodical and meticulous. This makes them efficiently dangerous for other garden insects, but they are never dangerous for your garden. They harm it not at all.

Praying mantises can immediately put a stop to any pest infestation that may have started in your area. As a matter of fact, most gardening shops sell praying mantises for this purpose alone. That’s how useful they are.

2. Ladybugs. If you're living in North America, then chances are very good that your garden will host this kind of bug. They are extremely widespread and so are very common.

Ladybugs feed on soft-bodied insects. These soft-bodies are harmful for your garden. Ladybugs will even feed on the eggs and larvae of these harmful garden pests. This is what makes ladybugs an excellent feature of natural pest control.

3. Spiders. We all know what many spiders do. They capture insects with their webs and feed on them. In this way, these spiders help to manage pest infestation. Those that dwell in gardens are usually not poisonous or lethal, and there is virtually no risk of these creatures ever creeping into the household.

If you want to attract spiders in your garden, grow some permanent perennials. These kinds of spiders find perennials very suitable for a home.

4. Tachinid flies. Grow some pollen and nectar plants, and you'll be able to attract this variety of flies. Once in your garden, these Tachinid flies will feed on small harmful insects. We're talking about armyworms, cutworms and cabbage loopers. How about caterpillars, gypsy moths, squash bugs and sawflies? All of these pests will eat away at your plants and give you a decaying garden. Tachinid flies to the rescue!

5. Parasitic wasps. Again, by providing pollen and nectar plants, you'd be able to attract these beneficial garden insects. They really will help your garden because these parasitic wasps will attack and feed on the eggs of harmful insects. With parasitic wasps inhabiting your garden, you'd be able to stop the infestation of dangerous insects by eliminating their very source: their eggs.

Isn’t that wonderful to have insects that will help your garden grow instead of damaging it? There are more kinds of insects that can help you in dealing with different types of pest invasions. Take the time to learn them. Your garden will be better for it.

Many fine gardens evolve gradually through the loving attention of their owners with little or no outside help. But when it comes to creating a new garden, or taking over an existing one that has fallen on hard times or that does not suit your taste or needs, it is well worth seeking advice from a professional garden designer.

The issues involved can be surprisingly complex, from drainage and construction through to siting trees and planting a border. How to deal with slopes and levels? How to forge a harmonious relationship between house, garden and surrounding landscape? What materials to use? How large to make a patio or pergola, how to site a water feature, pond or lake? How and where to incorporate outdoor lighting? Might planning permission be needed for any of this, and what order of costs might be involved?

Some of these questions might be answered by a knowledgeable gardener, others by a landscaper or builder, but for professional advice covering the whole process of planning and making a garden it is best to consult a qualified garden designer. Of course, before engaging any professional advisor you should first check their credentials and satisfy yourself that they are someone you can trust to interpret your brief in a sympathetic manner. The Society of Garden Designers, now celebrating its 25th year, is the only professional body in the UK devoted solely to garden design. Registered members have had their work individually assessed and must adhere to a code of professional practice. In the United States the equivalent body is the APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers).

A professional garden designer will listen carefully to your wishes before making any detailed proposals; time spent discussing practical needs and your likes and dislikes will help achieve a result that both you and the designer can be excited by. The hoped-for reaction from a client when they see that first presentation plan is “I never imagined anything quite like that, but it's exactly what I want”.

Beautifully drawn plans are all very well, but can they be put into practice? A garden designer will have thought through the practical implications of his proposals, including cost. He will be able to provide detailed working drawings and to source materials and plants, giving you a much wider choice than could be found at your local garden centre or builder's merchant. He will be able to find or recommend contractors to carry out the work, with costs and specifications agreed beforehand.

There is no denying that creating a garden can be expensive: expect to spend about the same on a new garden as on a complete new kitchen. Having detailed plans puts you in control and reduces the risk of unforeseen extra costs. A well designed garden makes good use of space that might have been wasted, making a small plot seem bigger and a large uninteresting space more intimate. The benefits of a new garden go on improving over time - planting typically takes three to five years to mature, for a larger garden ten years or more. Research shows that patients who have access to a garden, even if they can only look at it from a hospital bed, recover more quickly than those who do not, confirming what gardeners have known all along: gardens are good for you.