Did you know that almost half of about 165 million home owners in the US have gardened in the past year? The average gardener spends about five hours a week gardening. And a little over fifty million households have grown edible plants, such as fruits, vegetables and herbs. If you are interested in stepping into the colorful and fragrant world of home gardening, what are some tips for you?

First, start off by designing how you want plants and shrubs to be oriented around your household. Sometimes people make the mistake of going to gardening centers and buying everything they lay eyes on that they like, only to get home and realize that they bought too many plants, or too many plants of a similar height, et cetera. Orient your landscape from low to high, with shorter plants and flowers in the front, and taller trees and shrubs in the back.

Second, take your garden design to a plant nursery and find a knowledgeable staff member that can assist you. Of course, some owners find it necessary or at least preferable at this point to hire a landscaper to help them plan, and then plant, their plants and shrubs. Either way is fine, obviously a landscaper will probably give your landscape a more professional look. However, planning things yourself can be a fun adventure just as easily.

Third, when you visit garden centers, ask questions about the preferable insect and disease control and irrigation tips for your specific plants and shrubs. These will probably be issues later so it is better to know the answers ahead of time!