When it comes to planting a garden, you’ll want to spend a little time planning it out. It is a good idea to draw your garden out on paper before you actually break ground. This will give you a chance to work through any potential problems before you start digging. Get some graph paper from your store and sit down to plan your garden. This is a great activity during the long winter months.

First, you’ll need to have an idea of the types of plants you will be using in your garden. You’ll want to coordinate colors, shapes and sizes for the best overall effect. It is always recommended to put the smallest plants in front. For these, try to select an evergreen variety that will give your garden a defined shape all year round. Next, you can move to the flowering plants that are a little bit taller. If there will be some gaps, you can use a creeping plant to fill in any holes.

For the back rows, you can go with an ornamental grass to give your garden some height. Some of these grasses grow to be as tall as 6 feet and can be quite dramatic. If you don’t want to go quite that far, but you still want a defined back to your garden, try a few hedge plants. Once again, evergreen varieties will make your garden defined all year round.

For walkways, try a creeping plant, such as Walk on me Thyme. This lets off a wonderful fragrance when it is crushed and will make walking anywhere a heavenly event. You can define side walkways with more creeping plants in contrasting colors. Your garden is really an expression of your own personality. Plan it out to get the most out of it.