It can take several years to create a spectacular garden from scratch. So before you plan anything, you may want to ponder a few things.

First of all, is this the house in which you intend to spend the rest of your life, or is just temporary? Is it a retirement home (i.e., downsized from a previous one)? Do you intend to spend just a few hours a week or a weekend tending to the garden? Is gardening your passion, or is it just a hobby? This questioning process is important because it will affect your choice of design. There is no point on embarking on an elaborate, labor-intensive design that will demand most of your time and energy.

There is a final but very important point to be made about time and gardening: No matter how much of your new garden is designed or planned at the onset, be prepared for some alteration and modification down the road. Any garden looks wonderful from its initial completion; but as time passes and the garden grows, be prepared to respond to this gesture. After all, this is a part of its evolution.

An old-fashioned cutting garden is both functional and aesthetic in this garden

Summer blooming Gallardia adds a nice splash of color in the landscape.

A variety of heirloom tulips herald the arrival of spring.

Recycled materials of cobblestone, fieldstone and crushed limestone create an eye-catching path through a woodland garden.

The hardscape of walk, wall and steps form the structure of this garden while the plantings add horticultural interest.

A successful garden is immediately recognizable by its strong sense of identity. Every element has a purpose, whether practical or aesthetic, and combines with others to achieve a coherent and harmonious result. This is particularly true of smaller gardens where a controlled vision is essential in order to not over-complicate your garden or fulfill the urge to design every single inch of space. Remember, in most instances, less is more.

With these thoughts in mind, begin first by looking at the architecture of the house. In most cases, the house is never out of sight, and any new garden ought to reflect the style of architecture or, at the very least, compliment it. Perhaps you want to conceal some of the most unattractive features (i.e., downspouts, utility meters, HVAC equipment, etc.). All good design starts from the house and works out from it, regardless if the house is stone, brick, wood, or stucco, or if it’s an old farmhouse, Tudor, Victorian, or something Contemporary. The two must be treated as a single interconnecting unit; there needs to be a symbiotic relationship between house and garden.

The same process of analysis is just as relevant to an established garden as it is to creating a new one. In an established one, however, avoid being too hasty to amputate and to remove some quality plants that may only require a little remedial pruning. Perhaps this is where you call on the expertise of a professional. What has been previously growing and thriving should be noted and, in some cases, respected. It will obviously take a careful or trained eye to recognize the good, the bad, and the ugly. In many ways, there are enormous advantageous in starting with an existing garden that may bring blessings, especially in the way of mature trees.

List in order of importance what you want from your garden. Such possibilities may include a shady retreat for dining or reading, a wildlife habitat for birds and butterflies, a cutting garden, a vegetable patch, or even a water garden. Add to these possibilities a list of necessities that are a part of today’s living. For example, additional parking space, a compost pile, storage shed, grill, and perhaps a woodpile for a fire pit. These items need to be conveniently located for easy access, yet also hidden from direct view. Work from both lists to merge your objectives with the remaining available space.

Snap photographs of your property from as many viewpoints as possible. I have some clients that even took photographs from the attic as a bird’s-eye view. Include some images or photos from the main windows of the house, since most of the year this is how you will be viewing your garden. Don’t be intimidated to draw a plan on graph paper. It doesn’t need to be to scale, but it will serve as a tool to organize both your thoughts and the space. It will also serve as a guide for illustrating your intentions to a design professional, should you ultimately decide that route.

After the sketching is complete, consider what you want to do with the remaining available space. Start with marking the main axes and vistas from the windows of the house. If the main vista is from the living room, the pattern of the garden at ground level is crucial to its success. Once this has been thought through, think of the view back towards the house and how it could be enhanced with ornamental shrubs, specimen trees, well-trained climbing plants, and night-lighting. These main axes and vistas help to suggest where paths can be placed. They also indicate what should be framed (controlling a view) and what should be camouflaged. By this point, your new garden should be taking shape—at least on paper. The next phase is considered to be the most fun: selecting the plants.

Resist the urge for impulse buying. Plants are typically cheaper than an investment in hardscape features like new walks or walls, but these impulse buys usually lead to a hodgepodge of plants rather than a well-thought out, well-designed and balanced garden. Also, remember that those small plants in tight containers often grow up into full scale adult plants. So be sure your plants are properly spaced. Most planting and garden installations are done in stages due to budgetary constraints. In this instance, the very first planting, which follows any hardscape endeavors, should be all the major trees, since they take the longest to become established. Also, the sooner these trees put down roots and begin to grow, the sooner your composition will materialize. The trees and hardscape form the backbone of your new garden. Within their framework, you can eventually add the desired shrubs, perennials, bulbs, and the occasional annual flowers. Each finished design is similar to a successful recipe, but none have to be followed slavishly, nor do you have to be afraid to make mistakes. Unlike a culinary recipe, most plants are forgiving and can be dug up and replanted if need be. The gardens themselves can range from the purely ornamental to the highly manicured knot garden. They can be nostalgic or whimsical. It’s your garden and it should reflect your personal tastes. So have fun, enjoy the process, and ultimately, the rewards.

Richard Liberto is a landscape designer specializing in regional landscapes and garden restoration. He can be reached at LibertoDesign@comcast.net