The perennials are waking up little by little, and some early-season bulbs are already in full bloom. The beginnings of spring are making themselves felt and, to accompany them, the desires of gardeners are reborn: putting their hands back in the soil, starting to plant again… there is no shortage of ideas at the end of winter!

This is why novice gardeners can sometimes feel a little helpless when faced with the extent of the work to be accomplished. Here are some tips and methods to get your landscaping garden project off to a good start:

1. Make a plan of the existing garden

Often, a plan is not the first thing we think of as beginners: too tedious, too restrictive, the obstacles are numerous. The plan then comes later, to note the beds that have already been created, pinpoint the different species, and so on. That’s a shame!

Indeed, with a plan, everything seems clearer: what should be highlighted and what should be hidden. The plan can be created using a tape measure, but the simplest option is to use the land registry plan of your property directly.

The measurements are precise, and the house is already shown, as well as the secondary buildings. You can then reproduce the plan to scale on a separate sheet or use specialized software.

When you draw up the plan, be sure to indicate the doors and windows of the buildings. This is very important for future garden landscaping, as it helps you consider and highlight the views from inside and outside the house.

2. Note the existing plants

During this second step, you will decide which plants you want to keep, move, or remove:

• The plants you want to keep,
• those you would like to move,
• and those you no longer want.

Then list the plants that you have chosen to keep, classifying them by type (trees, shrubs, perennials, etc.), and indicate their characteristics (soil requirements, flowering color, etc.).

This inventory will give you a clear overview and help you avoid mistakes in the future design. It will also prevent you from buying duplicate plants.

3. Choose a design option

This is one of the most important points: a beautiful garden is a balanced, harmonious, and coherent garden.

So be careful not to mix too many different atmospheres. A clear design direction is essential to ensure the overall coherence of the layout. This can be chosen according to your preferences (if you are a fan of Zen gardens, for example), to reinforce the existing surroundings (such as a beautiful stone building), or to highlight a particular color.

For example, in some of my contemporary projects, I pay attention to the colors chosen by my clients for their furniture (or the color of the frames, etc.), and I make sure to incorporate these tones into my layouts, in the choice of coverings, and even in the selection of plants.

4. Organize the plan by atmosphere

Once the design option has been chosen, you must determine the landscaped “rooms” you want in your garden: a vegetable garden, terrace, swimming pool, or pond?

Everything is possible if there is enough space. Classify these areas according to their purpose (games, relaxation, meditation, meals, decoration, etc.). The landscape design then follows quite naturally, depending on your preferences: a naturalistic path could lead to a slightly romantic terrace, for example.

Remember not to think too big: if you want to add too much without arranging it properly, the garden can quickly appear cramped. Which brings me to the next point: the pathways between spaces.

5. Focus on the coherence and fluidity of passages

A pleasant path can be identified quite quickly on the plan: harmonious curves, stops at viewpoints, and continuity between different areas. Even in a small garden, when the paths are well designed, the overall feeling can be very positive.

Changes in rhythm (created by changes in materials, for example), stopping points (such as a bench), and viewpoints (the arrangement of an element of surprise, like a mirror) are all elements that can give the illusion that the garden is bigger than it actually is.