Designing Your Garden

Basic Steps for Garden Design

1 - The Sleeping Garden

Think about the winter look of your Garden.  What might you need to alter or add to make the winter garden look great? 
  • Hardscaping - stone work, stepping stones, walls, decks or walkways
  • Evergreens can bring color to the winter design and protection to birds
  • Garden Accents can be placed about the Garden to catch the eye.
​Accent examples; Water Feature, Rocks, Bird Bath, Arbours

2 - Trees

Be mindful of the final size, height and width, the tree will grow to be.  Are there wires above the tree?  It is unfortunate when a beautiful tree has to be hacked by the utility workers when a little bit of planning would prevent that.
   Notice how the sun travels across the sky over your garden.
  • Do you want to block the sun?
   If you want certain parts shaded in the summer, remember that the sun travels higher in the sky during the summer.  You may want to place certain trees to block the sun in strategic locations.  Deciduous trees drop their leaves in the winter, the winter sun can then warm your house or garden area.
   Fall is a good time to plant trees.
  • Or do you want to block a view or create privacy?
   You may want to place Evergreens to block the view year round.  Evergreens keep their needles all winter.

3 - Shrubs

3 - Shrubs
   Shrubs can give your garden much:
  • Color and texture 
  • Privacy
  • Protection and food to birds
Examples are Nandina, types of Holly, Chinese Fringe, Rhododendron, Azalea, Arbourvitae, Juniper
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   Think of the final size of the shrub and space them appropriately.  Each plant should have adequate room for sun and air.  Some keep their foliage all year.

4 - Perennial & Biennial Flowers

Perennials & Biennials can save you expense because they come back with proper care, and many increase in number.  Perennials come back every year.  Biennials come back from seed the first year, then they flower the 2nd year, and drop seed to start the cycle again.
  • Examples of Perennials are:  Iris, Peonies, Hosta, Astilbe, Zebrina Hollyhock, Monarda
  • Examples of Biennials: such as Hollyhocks and Sweet William.

5 - Annual Flowers

   Use these as accents as they do not usually return the next year, but can really set the garden off beautifully.
  • Examples:  Petunias, Morning Glories, Scarlet Sage, Geraniums

Charles Covert

Master Gardner

Some Hardscaping Examples

Evergreens - the Garden Backbone

Examples of Trees

Examples of Shrubs

Examples of Perennials