If you have recently moved to a new house and now have a new garden to make your own, or fancy redesigning your existing garden there are a number of things to take into consideration to make the most out of your unique space.

As with most things in life – planning is the key to getting good results. Are you looking for a low maintenance garden or do you enjoy spending time working in the garden? Once you know how you would like to use your garden you can then assess some of the existing properties to help make your dream a reality.

The lay of the land –

What direction is your garden facing? This will affect the type of plants that you can grow, and also the position of any decking or paved areas that are to be used for garden furniture.

Topography –

Is your garden on a slope? Many people choose to use a slope for a lawn or terrace the area to create a rockery feature, but it is also feasible to level the area off to turn it into a more usable part of your garden.

Soil Type –

The type of soil in your garden affects the types of plants that you can grow. You can get soils that are heavy, dry, wet, acidic, alkaline, loamy or clay. You can get soil enhancers such as compost and mulches to help change the properties of your soil. Conditioning your soil will also help with drainage.

Features to include –

You have already considered how you will be using your garden, now it is time to think about what features can be added. Here are some of the things that you can add to your garden area:

Lawn 

Patios

Decking 

Fencing

Shed 

Garden Furniture

Walling 

Vegetable Garden

Trellising 

Childrens Play Area

Rockery Stones

Ornaments

Decorative Stones 

Pergola

Greenhouse 

Water Feature

Pathways 

Plants

Garden Access –

You should also take into consideration the access route into your garden. This is an important element that should not be overlooked. Bad access will slow things down, and if you are using professional gardening or landscaping services this could add costs on. For example, if the only access to your garden is through the house you will not be able to buy bulk bags of decorative stones or top soil. You will need to buy small bags and transport them through your house.

Take some time to think about the key elements and features that you would like in your new garden and what types of plants are suitable. You can use the information you have collected to design your new garden layout.