Creating Your Dream Garden - Part 1: Dreaming and Planning

🌟 Welcome to Create Your Dream Garden!

Have you ever dreamed of a beautiful garden where you can relax, enjoy, and be proud of yourself? A green oasis that's perfect for you? Then you've come to the right place! In this four-part series, we'll take you on a complete journey from dreaming to enjoyment.

🎯 What You'll Learn in This Section

• Developing a vision - Discover what your dream garden means to you
• Analyzing Space - Really Get to Know Your Garden
• Determine a budget - Create a realistic financial plan
• Making a plan - From dream to concrete action

💭 Step 1: Dreams - What Do You Really Want?

Before you buy a single plant or put a shovel in the ground, it's essential to know what you really want. Take time to dream!

Ask Yourself These Questions:

• How do you want to use your garden?
  • Relax and meditate
  • Gardening and growing vegetables
  • Let children play
  • Receiving guests
  • Providing pets with a nice place
• What kind of atmosphere appeals to you?
  • Romantic and lush
  • Modern and sleek
  • Natural and wild
  • Mediterranean and sunny
  • Japanese and Zen
• How much time do you want to spend on maintenance?
  • Minimal (low-maintenance garden)
  • Average (some work per week)
  • A lot (gardening as a hobby)

Create an Inspiration Board

Collect photos, colors, materials, and plants that appeal to you. This can be done digitally (Pinterest, Instagram) or physically (clipping folder). Note:

• Which colors often recur?
• Do you see patterns in styles?
• Which plants catch your eye?
• What materials do you like?

🔍 Step 2: Analyze - Know Your Garden

Now that you know what you want, it's time to take a look at what you have. A good analysis prevents costly mistakes!

Practical Analysis:

1. Sunlight & Shade

• Observe your garden at different times of the day
• Mark sunny spots (6+ hours of sun)
• Note: Partial shade (3-6 hours of sun)
• Identify shady spots (less than 3 hours)

2. Soil & Drainage

• Test your soil type (sand, clay, loam)
• Check the drainage (is water standing?)
• Measure the pH value if possible

3. Wind & Microclimate

• Where does the wind come from?
• Are there any sheltered spots?
• Which parts are warmer/colder?

4. Existing Elements

• Which plants/trees will remain?
• What needs to go?
• Are there walls, fences, paths?
• How is the access to the garden?

Make a Sketch

Draw your garden to scale (for example, 1:50 or 1:100). Note:

• Dimensions
• Existing elements
• Sun position
• Wind direction
• Height differences

💰 Step 3: Budget - Realistic Planning

A dream garden doesn't have to be expensive, but it's important to be realistic about costs.

Budget categories:

1. Hard Materials (30-40% of budget)

• Pavement
• Fences/walls
• Pergolas/canopies
• Water features

2. Plants (20-30% of budget)

• Trees and shrubs
• Perennials
• Annuals
• Soil and compost

3. Garden furniture (15-25% of budget)

• Seating furniture
• Relief
• Decoration
• Pots and containers

4. Tools & Materials (10-15% of budget)

• Garden tools
• Irrigation system
• Maintenance materials

Save Money:

• Phasing: Spread your project over several years
• Do it yourself: What can you tackle yourself?
• Smart shopping: Buy plants in spring or autumn
• Cuttings & division: Ask for cuttings from friends
• Secondhand: Garden furniture and materials

📋 Step 4: Planning - From Dream to Action

Now everything is coming together in a concrete plan!

Create a Masterplan:

1. Define Zones

• Where will the seating area be?
• Where do you want to plant?
• Do you need a vegetable garden?
• Where can children play?

2. Routing & Paths

• How do you walk through the garden?
• Where are paths needed?
• Which materials suit your style?

3. Height & Depth

• Use different heights
• Think of climbing plants
• Consider raised borders

4. Seasons

• Plan for the whole year
• Provide winter interest
• Think about flowering times

Prioritizing:

What should come first? Make a list:

1. Must-haves: Essential elements
2. Should-haves: Important additions
3. Nice-to-haves: Nice extras

🌱 Practical Tips for Beginners

✅ Checklist Part 1: Are You Ready?

Before you go to Part 2, make sure you have:

• ☐ A clear vision of your dream garden
• ☐ An inspiration board with ideas
• ☐ A sketch of your current garden
• ☐ Insight into sun, shade and soil
• ☐ A realistic budget
• ☐ A list of priorities
• ☐ A global master plan

🎉 Next Step

Congratulations! You've taken the first step toward your dream garden. In Part 2: Preparation , we'll delve deeper into the practical preparation: improving the soil, choosing materials, and creating a detailed action plan.

Part 1 of 4 - The journey to your dream garden starts here 🌟