When you are designing a garden site there is much more to consider than just 'what will I plant here'. You also will need to consider a variety of environmental concerns for your chosen plants to thrive. After you have analyzed the site in your lawn for a new garden space, you will then be able to pick out the plants that will thrive and be bountiful in this space. For example, if you are building a new garden that is half shade and half sun all of the time, you will need to plant a variety of plants in these areas that thrive in sun and others that thrive in the shade. Here we are going to review the five areas that you need to consider when you are creating a new garden.
Learn about how much moisture is in the soil where you would like to start a new garden. The moisture in every area of you lawn differs from each other because of slopes, trees and other buildings near that area of the lawn. You can have a wet shaded area near a tree, but a dry area near your home or the garage because of drainage systems. If the soil is too dry, you may have a very difficult time growing plants there, and the same is true if the area is too wet.
This leads us to a topic of slope in the new garden area. You will soon notice that the top of the hill is drier and windier than at the bottom of a hill. If you are planning a new garden on the side of a hill or in an area at the bottom of a hill you will find the temperatures can differ greatly from the wind following the slope of the hill.
Wind in that zone you want to grow. If the is a major player in the area where you want to make a new garden you should know that the wind will dry out your plants, the wind can even 'burn' the plants and they will brown. If you must have your garden in an area that is windy, plant a few shrubs or bushes to keep the wind from drying out your plants and they will be able to hold water longer.
The sun is a determining factor in deciding where to place your new garden. If you have full sun in this area, you will need to plant flowers and plants that need and like full sun. If you are planning a garden and buying plants that need some shade your garden will not be a success.
One final consideration when planning a new garden is what is already located in that area. If you have sod, you will need to prepare and till the soil. If you have a tree, a shrub or a large wall or rock, you will either need to incorporate these existing features in to your garden or remove the existing things. While removing something can become a project in itself, it is sometimes easier to incorporate something into the garden such as the huge rock, a wall or a tree.
About the Author:
Garden Moose is the editor of GardenMoose.com, and a feature contributor to Greenhouses.com a leading internet destination for gardening and greenhouse information and ideas.
