In many ways the beginning of a garden is the most difficult step and the most daunting for the homeowner or casual gardener. Many homeowners seek the garden for a particular space while others find a space for a particular garden. With the specific plants already designed or suggested we need to make a quick calculation of how much space each plant will need to thrive and translate that to the size of the garden. As with all design, the size and shape of the garden as a cohesive element of your landscape is an important consideration. If you don’t have a shape suggested to you by a designer then it’s time to get out the garden hose or spray paint and lay out a form that you like. Gentle curves usually offset plants beautifully. As you’re laying out this shape consider the mowing radius of the lawnmower. Curves that are too many and too severe can increase maintenance unnecessarily while drawing attention away from the plants. (more…)