Yesterday I was talking with Krista about her garden. Being relatively new to gardening she was feeling a little overwhelmed and not sure where to begin. I definitely would not call myself an expert, but here is what advice I can offer.
It can be daunting to feel like you have to come up with a grand master plan for your dream garden, especially if, like most of us, your resources are limited. I think of my garden as a process rather than a fixed project with a beginning and an end. It is organic in the truest sense, ever changing, being born, growing, struggling, reproducing, and releasing back to "the pool". There are successes and failures, which, if we pay attention, can reveal insight into what the organisms thrive in or lack in their environment.
If you are just starting it may make sense to create an idea or style board and list the kinds of things you want in your garden. For example, stylistically I like native / wild landscapes, and japanese gardens. I want grow food and flowers and have places to relax outdoors. It can be that simple to begin with.
Understand the basics of your land: soil, light, and water. Those are the key variable conditions for growing plants. Soil is a big one. If the earth has not been cared for it may take a few years of adding compost and organic fertilizers to get it optimal.
Learning is part the practice and the fun, but you don't need to know a lot in order to begin. Make friends with a gardener, maybe exchange helping days. Ask the people at the nurseries. In our area Portland Nursery has a great information desk with people there just to answer questions and give advice. They also offer classes.
Remember, you can always change it. You may want to start small before embarking on a your grand dream garden. Vegetable gardens are low commitment, as they last a season and need to be rotated. Larger shrubs and trees are a bigger (literally) commitment, so consider them carefully.
Here are a few book recommendations—good basics to begin with. Libraries are also great resources for books. We are lucky to have good ones in our area.
The journey is the destination. Follow your heart and listen to the earth.
This is great advice Jessica. Thanks! I am learning to appreciate the process of it all. It's so interesting to think about layout and space but with something that changes and evolves and responds. It's a real relationship. And the rewards of nurturing something, like a vegetable garden, to have it nurture you back, are so amazing. I'm just starting my fall vegetables now.
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