Designing Your Vision

When I start a design, it begins with a need or an inspiration.

This is how my garden began...

Meryl Streep's garden in the movie "It's Complicated" triggered the entire idea behind my garden.  I liked the idea of a fenced-in separate space and I had just the spot in mind.  I also loved the beds separated by pathways, it was simply beautiful.

Once my wheels begin to turn, I start taking down notes and sketching.  My designs are always a work in progress.

I knew the basic idea I was going for and needed to start a list of what I wanted to plant.  I started out with a vision of large beds and ended up making them smaller so they were more accessible.  I also began with mulched pathways, but eventually would like to use crushed limestone or pieces of flagstone instead.

As I narrow down solid plans, I create layouts and dimensioned drawings to know that everything will fit.  Whether it is as small as designing an invitation or as large as designing a yard, planning is the key.

Using measurements of our yard, I started dividing up the space evenly, keeping in mind the pathways.  This is how I knew what I wanted to plant would have space and how many of each plant I could use.

If I need more reference material, I will create a rendering or sample of what the final design will look like.

I wanted to show my husband the direction I was going with the garden, so I did a color pencil rendering of what our garden would look like.

Then it comes time to create.  When I am working on a design that is larger in scale, like a garden or a room, there is usually some tweaks that need to be made in the field.  If proper planning is done, it is nothing I can't handle.

 

When working on large projects, if needed, I break it up into phases.

 

These are photos of my progress so far.  I will plant the final three beds next year.  You can see in the photo above and to the right, that those beds are still grass.  I will add the fence, gate, and arbor in another phase.  I will also eventually build custom tomato cages and have my beds raised or at least have an edging of some kind.  Little by little my design will become complete.

Until next time,

Blair