Winter is the perfect time to reflect on the successes and mistakes of the previous year. Once you’ve finished pondering your wins and losses—ideally with a slice of pie and hot coffee in your hand—it’s time to plan for the future. I love to do that by thinking about garden design. Take a bird’s-eye view of your garden and assess its potential. Are you making the most of your landscape? If not, it’s best to go back to the basic principles of garden design. Here are some I return to year after year to refine my garden. I hope you find them helpful.
start with structure
Consider the basic form of your garden. If you’re starting from scratch, map out the walkways and paths. Where will you sit and reflect? What is the best and most efficient path through your garden?
plan seasonal highlights
This is the fun part of garden design: choosing the flowers! With so many beautiful flowers in the world, the options can be overwhelming, but it gets easier when you break it down by season. Ideally, you’ll have something blooming throughout the year. To get started, make a list of what’s currently in your garden and when it blooms, and sort your list by spring, summer and fall. Do you see gaps in the seasons? If so, it’s time to add more plants! Make a list of favorites to incorporate into your garden and start shopping.
Don’t forget about birds and pollinators! Make sure you have plants that will attract birds, bees, butterflies and other garden helpers. It’s soothing to watch butterflies and bees flit from flower to flower, but our food supply depends on pollinators. Gardeners can help by increasing the food supply for these insects, ensuring their—and our—survival.
layer up
Layering is another way to ensure you have visual interest throughout the year and add thickness and depth to your landscape. Layering and combining plants can fill in space and bring a lush look to your garden that will make it the envy of your neighborhood.
I hope these ideas will inspire you to plan for 2017. To find a more in-depth presentation of garden design, visit pallensmith.com. If you’re seeking even more inspiration, consider a visit to Moss Mountain Farm in Roland, Arkansas. We’d love to show you these principles in action during a lunch tour! Visit pallensmith.com/tours for more information.
P. Allen Smith, host of two public television programs, is n award-winning designer and gardening expert. He is the author of several books, including Seasonal Recipes From the Garden.