How to Start a Garden That Flourishes

Have you always dreamed of having your own garden?

Maybe you have fond childhood memories of your grandmother’s garden. Maybe you want a hobby that will help you reduce stress and stay active. Or maybe you want to lower your grocery bill by growing your favorite vegetables at home.

Whatever your motivation, starting a garden may seem overwhelming if you’ve never done it before.

Don’t worry! In this post, we’ll tell you exactly how to start a garden and make it flourish.

How to Start a Garden in 4 Steps

1. Define Your Goal

Before you begin, you need to have a clear picture of your future garden.

A few important questions to ask are:

What will you use your garden for?
What’s your vision of an ideal garden?
How much money and time can you devote to your garden?

There are no right or wrong answers, but these questions will help you know where to start.

Do you want to grow a few herbs to make sauces, or do you want a large outdoor area to host parties? Whatever you choose, be sure you’ll have the time to commit to caring for your garden.

2. Choose Your Location

If you live in an apartment, you obviously won’t have as many options as someone who lives on a five-acre plot of land.

Regardless of where you live, the two things your garden needs are sun exposure and water. Most vegetables and flowers need about six hours of full sun each day. Don’t despair if your location doesn’t receive that much sun since many plants also tolerate shade.

How easy is it to bring water to your chosen location? Ideally, there should be a water spigot nearby so you don’t have to drag a hose across your entire property.

3. Pick Your Plants

Are you planting a vegetable garden? An herb garden? A flower garden?

Whatever plants you choose, be sure they’ll thrive in your climate. A few important factors to consider are:

Soil type
Weather
Hardiness Zone
Local wildlife

Another thing to consider is whether to buy seeds, starters, bulbs, or seedlings. Again, this depends on how much time and energy you have to dedicate to your garden.

4. Design Your Garden

Now that you know what type of garden you want, it’s time to design it.

If you have limited space, a few pretty floral displays may be the perfect solution. You could also create an attractive row of potted herb plants or perennials.

If you have a large backyard or another area to spread out, the sky’s the limit! You could plant a mix of annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs. Or you could choose half a dozen of your favorite vegetables and grow your own groceries.

Gardens include more than just plants, too. Don’t forget about fun features like fountains, statues, or a shabby chic garden shed.