Design is an essential element of gardening.

A bare patch of dirt can take on an entirely different feeling depending on plant choices and placement.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or breathing new life into an old space, these design tips will help you create the garden of your dreams.

Follow the sun

Understanding the characteristics and limitations of your garden is a vital endeavor.

Start by observing the light in the space. It’s helpful to determine how much sun the area gets throughout the day—perhaps taking note at 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 6pm.

Check out this post for more info on plants’ light requirements.

Check your soil

Two other aspects to understand are soil moisture and soil type.

Does the soil retain moisture, or does it dry out quickly? What type of soil do you have—is it clay-like? Loamy? Somewhere in between?

Knowing the soil you’re working with will help guide your plant choices.

Define your vision

For most people, the question “What do you want your garden to look like?” does not have an intuitive answer.

Start by checking out garden inspiration and noting what gardens you’re drawn to.

Formal, with lots of symmetry? Clean and minimal? Natural and relaxed? Colorful and maximalist (me 🙋‍♀️)?

Once you know what you’re working toward, you can start to fill in the specifics.

Plan your layout

I’m in the process of transforming a hill in our yard from an overgrown, poison-ivy-infested eyesore into a lush, pollinator paradise.

It’s a lot of space to tackle. Sketching a map-like layout not only helped me figure out what I wanted the space to look like, it also helped me prioritize my plant purchases.

There’s no wrong way to create your layout, but it should be guided by structure, color, texture and seasonality—each covered below.

Lay the foundation

Structure is the foundation of your garden. It refers to permanent or semi-permanent elements that provide a framework for the space.

There are often already structural elements that you’ll need to work with. For example, a mature shade tree, a fence, a retaining wall, or a pathway.

You’ll then want to fill out the foundational framework with your own structural elements. I start with evergreens, ornamental trees (most gardens can fit at least one!) and large shrubs..

Choose your palette

Color harmony is central to design of any sort, and garden design is no different.

Consider the schemes you’re drawn to: Soft pastels (light pinks, lilacs, whites)? Cool and fresh (blues, yellows, whites)? Rich and vibrant (crimson, plums, burnt oranges)?

Vary textures

Texture refers to the size, shape, arrangement, and density of the various elements in a garden. The combination of textures creates interest, depth, and contrast.

Texture can come from plant:

• Foliage, like spindly pine needs next to the large, flat leaves of hydrangeas

• Flowers, like the wispy spires of russian sage paired with the velvety, multi–petaled rose

• Hardscaping, like a weathered rock wall mixed with the trailing arms of a creeping juniper

Consider seasonality

The garden can shine in any season, not just in prime bloom time.

• Spring: The spring garden wakes up extra early with the addition of crocuses and snowdrops.

• Summer: Perhaps the easiest season to plant for, there is no shortage of summer flowering plants to choose from

• Fall: Foliage that shifts its color alongside the seasons, like Japanese Maples, add character to the autumn garden.

• Winter: Stalwart evergreens bring life to a barren winter landscape, as well as plants with interesting bare branches, like the red twig dogwood.

Choose your plants

The best garden is one you’ll maintain. Be realistic about the plants you choose, erring on the side of low maintenance if you’re just starting out or low on time.

When it comes to flower types, choosing a mix of perennials and annuals will ensure both continuous color and longevity in the garden.

Apply to any garden!

These design principles apply to any garden, whether yours is a big stretch of land or three pots on a balcony (yes, perennials can grow in pots too!).

And if ever in doubt, just give it a try and see what happens. At the end of the day, gardening is best learned by experimenting!

🌸 Flower I’m admiring

Poppies, one of my very favorites. The first ones of the season opened up in the garden a few days ago. The variety is “Pandora,” a type of Shirley poppy with unique colors of smokey purple and deep crimson.

🍰 Snack I’m craving

These shortbread toadstool cookies. Luckily, I made a bunch. Perfect for a woodland-themed birthday party or a Friday afternoon. Check out the recipe here!

👩🏻‍🌾 Seeds I’m sowing

Okay, not quite a seed—but I’m finally planting out my dahlia tubers.

I’m a little behind my usual dahlia planting schedule, but it’s still a fine time to get some tubers in the ground.

Tubers are like bulbs, but look more like potatoes (fun fact, the potatoes that we eat are tubers too!). You can usually find plenty available at your local nursery.

Dahlias are low maintenance and come in every color, shape and size you can dream up. They make my garden glow all the way through fall.

Plant your tubers in a pot or in the ground now for a brilliant display of dahlias from July through October!

Are you stumped with the design of your garden? Reply to this email with questions or hangups—I’m happy to give you a hand!

xx,

Courtney