How to Design a Garden Bed
- 1). Determine your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Your zone will determine the types of plants that will survive in your climate conditions.
- 2). Measure the area in your yard where you want to install a garden bed. Use a surveyed footprint of your property to make a rough sketch of the the desired garden bed dimensions and any structures, trees or hardscape areas already in your yard.
- 3). Contact your local university extension office to determine your soil ph level. The ph level can be adjusted by manipulating nutrients in the soil to make it more workable, loamy and able to sustain plant life.
- 4). Determine the look you want to cultivate in your garden. If your home is more formal, a formal garden design will fit in with the overall design of your home. If you live in a rustic setting, natural plants and trees will accent your property better than sculptured shrubs.
- 5). Draw the planned plants in your garden bed design. Don’t forget to allow room for plants to grow to their full, expected height and width.
- 6). Choose materials to enclose your garden bed. Brick and flagstone or other hardscape items add a more formal look and feel to your garden. Cottages and rustic settings usually have country gardens without a highly manicured look.
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