Are you planning to have your own garden? Building a garden is a tedious task because you still need to pick the necessary plants that would fit the type of garden that you like. Of course, a garden will never be a garden without a variety of flowers, decorative shrubs and superior evergreen trees. Moreover, having your own garden means having your own supply of fruits and vegetables so you don’t have to buy in the market and spend some money. Even though a lot of physical effort is required to achieve the desired outcome, you don’t have to cultivate too many plants to make your garden look expensive. Having only a reasonable variety and learning the right methods on how to grow them are enough to make your place alluring. If you like to have your own garden, follow these steps and you’ll never go wrong.

Step 1: Choose Your Plants

Choose the kinds of plants that you want to grow in your garden. Make sure you know which one can be planted in your zone. It helps you plan ahead which saves time, money and effort. Bigger plants consume larger space so if you want to cultivate some, you should extend the size of your garden and get a huge portion of your lawn. There are also other kinds of plants that need enough room to grow. If you’re unable to foresee these possibilities as more of your plants grow, many of them will just wilt and you will have to purchase again. To give you an idea on what types of plants are suitable for your garden, here’s a list:

• Annuals
-complete life cycle in one growing season
-voluntarily reseed and grow from seed
-has colorful flowers
-can be put on a container
Ex. Marigold, Impatiens, Zinnias

• Shrubs
-medium-sized plants perfect for landscape setting
-may be grouped together for wind or sound barrier
Ex. Juniper, Forsythia

• Perenials
-die in Fall and come back to life in Spring and Summer
-more expensive than annuals
-can be divided to reproduce

• Groundcovers
-earth-hugging plants that spread quickly
-perfect for hillsides where grasses don’t grow
-takes time to grow but requires little maintenance
Ex. Periwinkle, Wild Strawberries, Fern

• Vines
-climbing plants
-found on fences, arbores, holes as cover
-has attractive flowers
-take a few seasons to grow
Ex. Ivy, Clematis, Hydrangea

• Edible Plants
-those that can be eaten
-fruits and vegetables
Ex. Lavender, Mint, Coriander/Cilantro, Potatoes

• Bulbs
-grow from thickened underground roots that store nutrients
-dig them in Fall and replant them in Spring
Ex. Tulips, Daffodils, Rhizomes, Corns, Tubers

• Aquatic Plants
-grow in a moist environment
-ideal for ponds and boggy areas
Ex. Water Poppy, Water Iris, Water Lily

• Succulents
-has fleshy tissues that store moisture
-for arid climates, rock and container gardens
Ex. Cactus (grows up to 60 ft)

Step 2: Select Your Site

After picking the right kinds of plants for your garden, it’s time to determine the place where you want to put them. If you wish to plant larger, assorted types, pick a spacious site where they can freely grow. Don’t limit the area and crowd them because competition exists even among trees and flowers in terms of the available amount of water, sunlight, wind and fertiliser. If the elements are insufficient they may die or grow malnourish.

Step 3: Grab Your Shovel and Dig

Start removing the grass until the topsoil is exposed. Once you see it, rove the topsoil by lifting the grass roots as this area will serve as the foundation for your plants.

Step 4: Loosen the Soil

Loosen up a remaining thin layer of the soil that is 4-6 inches of the topsoil. You need to remove also this part because it contains rocks that can hinder the growth of your plants.

Step 5: Put a Boundary Around Your Group of Dug Holes

It can be a fence or a group of bricks that surrounds the garden area to prevent the grass lawn from extending. Add a reasonable amount of good (humus) soil and evenly spread it about two inches.

Step 6: Planting the Seeds

Begin putting the seeds of your desired plants. Water them regularly and don’t forget to add a fertiliser.

Much time and attention are needed to have your own garden. So if you don’t want the fruits of your labor to go to waste, you may as well put plants such as; chrysanthemum, aster and garlic to drive away unwanted insects that can ruin your garden.