| Don't force yourself out of the most | | | | herbs?When you think you have a reasonable |
| profitable hobby in the universe because you | | | | idea of all you want from your garden, take |
| think it's too hard to learn ...It isn't! | | | | some notes and think about it for a while. |
| | | | Don't leap in too soon-more often than not |
| Gardening is fast becoming the world's | | | | you'll land up doing the same job twice. |
| number one hobby, and with all the latest | | | | Browse through garden catalogs, take a little |
| 'alternative' information we have to hand, | | | | time and do a little planning.But not for too |
| gardening as a natural science is fun to | | | | long! Don't let the ideas wither into another |
| learn about and rewarding in the | | | | was-gonna-do-one-day file.If you have enough |
| extreme...Produce your own fruit and veg - | | | | of a budget to buy your garden structures and |
| cut the shopping trips.Keep it organic!- be | | | | furniture, do this first, and position them |
| nice to the planet, and your body.Stay fit | | | | in your garden. Then create your flower beds, |
| and healthy with exercise and fresh air.Spend | | | | vegetable plots and wildlife patches around |
| quality family time in the outdoors.Turbo | | | | these structures.If you don't have cash up |
| boost your creative spiritAnd if that isn't | | | | front, don't worry. The things you need will |
| enough to be going on with, learn about | | | | come to you. For now, prepare the space as if |
| plant-kind in all it's glory. From trees | | | | you DID have the shed, or bench or whatever, |
| through to fungi, there are millions of | | | | and work around these areas.Start all the |
| plants to research, grow and eat- no chance | | | | patches and work on them as and when you can, |
| of getting bored!First you have to take your | | | | or start one patch and get it finished before |
| first step.Start gardening, be a gardener, | | | | moving on to the next. How you work in your |
| enjoy your garden.Starting from scratch? Let | | | | garden depends on a number of things...size |
| your imagination run wild. Stand in the | | | | of land and budgethelping hands |
| centre (-ish) of your garden and | | | | availableseasons and the weathertime slots |
| imagine..close your eyes if you like.Don't | | | | and energy levels!Treat gardening as an |
| hold back. Let your creative thoughts flow. | | | | ongoing hobby rather than a project to be |
| How much can you do with your space? Don't | | | | started and finished. Plants are growing life |
| imagine for one minute that a simple lawn | | | | forms and will always be changing the shape |
| will let you off the hook here. A lawn needs | | | | and feel of your garden. Go with it where you |
| maintaining, and mowing regularly - for | | | | can, and prune heavily where you have to!Get |
| EVER..and it can get kind of boring to look | | | | the kids involved with quick-germinating |
| at as well! How about creatinga butterfly | | | | seeds, and fast-growing plants. Many |
| patcha wildflowers cornera vegetable plota | | | | retailers offer special seed mixtures for |
| herb gardena water featureThen you will need | | | | kids. Pumpkins are great for getting the kids |
| a shed to store your tools. Where would that | | | | interested in gardening.Learn about edible |
| be best placed in your garden? Don't waste a | | | | flowers and teach the children what can and |
| sunny position with a garden structure. Sheds | | | | can't be eaten - and why.Don't let the grass |
| don't need to be in full sun to survive!Is | | | | grow under your feet. Get in on the action |
| there enough space to place garden furniture? | | | | now. Turn off the TV, put your wellies on and |
| Rather than going for the | | | | leap into nature!Linda Gray is a freelance |
| table-and-four-chairs-on-patio style, can you | | | | writer and, with her partner. has spent ten |
| place benches and small tables in semi-shady | | | | years renovating a neglected acre of |
| spots near the honeysuckle or round the | | | | woodland. |