4. What do you want to do in your yard?

Take into account the needs and desires of everyone in your family, including pets. Its best if you can get everyone in the family to take part in the planning, so everyone is heard, and no important considerations are missed. Some questions to ask:

• How much time do you like to spend outside?
• What kinds of recreational activities do you want to do in your yard? Examples include reading, sunbathing, playing horse-shoes, and bird-watching.
• Do you want a swimming pool, or hot tub?
• Do you cook and/or eat outdoors?
• Do you entertain outdoors, and if so, how many people do you want to be able to seat?
• Do you need a clothesline?
• Do the kids need room to run around, or equipment to play on?

5. What kind of gardening do you want to do?

• What do you like to grow? This can include flowers, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, trees, roses, shade plants, native plants, and so on.
• Do you want any special kind of garden, such water gardens, bogs, rock gardens?
• How much time do you want to spend gardening? How much time do you spend gardening now? Be honest with yourself. You don't want to plan a yard and garden that doesn't suit your gardening time and interest.
• Do you like taking care of a lawn? If not, you might want to minimize grassy areas in favour of ground covers or more flower beds.
• Do you want your garden to attract wildlife?
• Do you garden organically or use chemical pesticides and herbicides? Use of certain chemicals might mean you should avoid things like ponds, or planting to attract wildlife.
• How much rain do you get, and do you have seasonal restrictions on water use for lawns and gardens?

..next..

1. How do I make a garden plan? Do I really have to?
2. Get to know your site
3. Think about the future
4. What do you want to do in your yard?
5. What kind of gardening do you want to do?
6. Don't forget storage and utility requirements
7. What about driveways, walkways, and paths?
8. Think about privacy and security issues
9. Make a wish list
10. Categorize your list
11. Prioritize your list
12. Look at other gardens and yards
13. Make a general sketch of your yard
14. Go through your wish list again
15. Think about the style you want
16. Keep in mind some general design guidelines
17. Start drawing a plan
18. Get to work
19. Further Reading (web links) and References

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