There are a few key components you should consider before you begin to design a garden. The “bones" of your garden are one of the first places you should begin your planning, and this refers to the general outline and shape of your garden. You should also consider if you want a flower garden, a vegetable garden, or a combination of both. You might also think about how you would like to use color, as this will impact the types of plants you use. As you design a garden, you should also think about a focal point you may want to include or create within the garden.
To design a garden, you should typically begin by finding the right location. This can have a tremendous impact on the types of plants that will thrive, since it can affect the amount of sunlight plants receive, as well as how water drains into or away from your garden. You should also consider the “bones” of your garden, which refers to the features used to create the border and general shape of your garden. If you want to use trees you already have as a border, for example, then you might design a garden that includes plants that can thrive in full shade or partial sun to be planted near those trees.
You should also consider what type of garden you want as you design. While you can have a garden with only fruits and vegetables, or a garden with only flowers, you may want to design a garden that features a variety of plants. A number of different plants and vegetables can thrive together quite well, and may also create a more appealing garden than using only one type of plant.
As you design a garden you should think about the aesthetics of your garden in a number of different ways. The colors you want, for example, can be controlled based on the types of plants you utilize and the flowers they produce. This is true of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, so proper consideration of color is important in just about any garden.
You should also contemplate a focal point that you may want to create in your garden. The focal point is a feature that draws the attention of a viewer, and serves to create a more unique garden that expresses your tastes. If you already have a prominent feature in your area, such as a small stone circle, a fountain, or waterfall, then you may want to utilize that feature as a focal point. You can also design a garden to include a new feature as a focal point, such as an outdoor sculpture or a particular type of plant.