Now that your lawn is on its way to being green and lush, it is time to accent your gorgeous lawn with a garden.  Nothing adds to the landscaping of a home like some colorful flowers and well positioned bushes and plants. 

Prep the area

Whether you are adding to an existing garden or creating a new one, it is best to get an early spring jump on maintaining those areas.  Rake and turn over the soil now before the plants to grow and you must work around them. 

If starting from scratch, use a flat spade to dig up any grass or vegetation from the desired area.  Add some organic fertilizer or composted material and turn over the top 8 inches of soil.  Be sure to rake the top to level it off. 

Location, Location, Location

Pay close attention to the areas of your yard that get lots of direct sunlight and/or no sunlight at all and plant the correct type of flower/plant for your climate and yard.

Head over to your local nursery to discuss your ideas with an expert.  Not only are the local nurseries knowledgeable in the plants they carry but they only carry the types of plants that thrive in the area you live in.  This makes it easier to choose the correct variety for your home and lifestyle.

Pay Attention to Timing

Since New England is a tricky place to time the planting of various flowers and vegetation, try Better Homes & Gardens Gardening by Region Guide.  I found it helpful because it offers a timeline on what to do and when to plant to avoid a mishap.  

Be Realistic about Your Lifestyle

Want a lovely garden with minimal effort; be sure to keep this in mind when choosing what to plant.  You don’t want anything too labor intensive if you don’t intend on maintaining it.  Really want to be lazy?  Perennials will be your best friend.  Check out Better Homes & Garden‘s No Fail Perennials for some great ideas of what to plant and what looks good with these flowers.  

Create a Border around your Garden

Not only goes it add style to the garden but it keeps grass from invading your garden.  Use bricks, rocks, pavers or a metal strip to define your yard’s garden.  Click here for a step-by-step guide from The Family Handyman to get you started.

In the end, it is about creating a beautiful space that you can enjoy all year round.  So, have fun with it.  Don’t like something?  Dig it up.  Rearrange plants if you need to.  Create a space that you and your family love to spend time in and it will make gardening that much more enjoyable.

What are you planning on planting this year?