New and experienced gardeners can easily become overwhelmed by the endless possibilities of garden designs. Follow these 5 steps to learn how to find design inspiration for a vegetable garden that will work well in your outdoor space.
Raised beds, containers, and trellises… oh my! In this post, I’m going to walk you through 5 simple steps to find amazing design inspiration for your new vegetable garden. Let’s dig in!
1. Take a Deeper Look at Your Outdoor Space
In part one of this series, we talked about making a sun map of your property. Sun mapping is a great exercise to learn how sunlight and shadows affect each part of your property. After you know the ideal location of your garden, consider the following questions:
- How much space is available? What shape is the space?
- Will the garden need to be fenced-in to protect it from critters? (Ahem, the dog who likes to dig?)
- How much time will you spend caring for your garden (bigger isn’t always better)?
- Are there local guidelines or regulations for growing food on your property?
2. Research Your Desired Plants
It’s time to make a list of your family’s favorite fresh foods. On that list, make a note of how much space each plant will take up when its fully grown.
Note: Most gardening seed companies will send a free catalog at your request, so look for that option on their websites. Catalogs are loaded with great information such as: ideal growing zone, space requirements, and days to maturity for each type of seed they offer.
In addition to growing vegetables, think about adding some beauty. Encourage pollinators to come for a visit by adding some pollinator-friendly plants to your garden plans.
3. Connect with Neighbors
Strike up a chat with a friendly neighbor who enjoys gardening. Experienced gardeners can offer you tried-and-true gardening practices, suggestions for plant varieties that thrive in your area, and years of valuable wisdom about growing food in your area. Gardeners tend to try new things every year (we can’t help it), so see if they have suggestions for garden designs that work the best and tips on what you should avoid. See if you can get their permission (always get permission!) to take a look at how they design their garden.
Another way to locally connect is to contact your local extension office (extension office finder) to get design recommendations or be connected to a master gardener who can direct you to helpful resources that will guide you through the growing season.
4. Check out a Local Community Garden
Community gardens are amazing resources for growing fresh food, and they’re popping up all over the country. Take some time to wander around the garden and make note of the intentional layout.
- How are the growers maximizing the space?
- Which plants do they have growing together?
- What types of trellises are used, and for what plants?
There is so much information to take in just from observing, so be sure to take a pencil and a notebook when you go!
5. Head to the Library
Now that you have a few ideas you’d like to include in your garden design, head to the library and take your time browsing the gardening section. Check out a few books with DIY designs for vegetable gardens, landscaping layouts (these often have aerial view sketches that include vegetable gardens), trellises, planters, and raised beds. Most of these DIY books will include building plans for gardens that you can adapt to your own space.
Enjoy the Process
As I said before, when it comes to garden designs, new and experienced gardeners can easily become overwhelmed by the endless possibilities. Enjoy the process and have fun!
Related Posts
- Get to Know the Soil in Your Garden
- How to Do Sun Mapping
- How to Decide What to Plant in Your Vegetable Garden
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For More Inspiration
Check out my Garden Design Inspiration board on Pinterest for beautiful ideas you could incorporate into your own design.