In the garden with Urban Harvest: Plan before spring nursery purchases

Spring weather seems to have finally arrived to stay until summer's heat pushes it aside. Inevitably, spring catches the Gulf Coast gardener off-guard.

Every year it seems we wake up one day and realize we can pack away our sweaters and pull out our garden trowels. Winter weather had us neglecting the garden but, the blue skies and cool, dry temperatures will certainly prompt a trip to the local nursery. Once there, the variety of foliage, flowers and fragrance are overwhelming.

Though you should be prepared; spring fever can lead to impulsive purchases you regret after a couple of growing seasons.

A flourishing garden begins at the drawing board not the garden center. To plan for your garden's success you will need a scaled drawing of your property and the structures located on the property.

If you own your property you will have a survey, it's with the closing documents, and you can start there. The survey shows your lot size and building dimensions and distance from the property lines. It also indicates any easements you should be aware of. If your property is deed restricted, you should review the restrictions.

They often limit the location of landscape structures and other amenities.

Draw the property and structures on a large piece of paper at a scale of one-fourth-inch or one-eighth-inch equals one foot, whichever is best suited to your lot size. You can find gridded paper and architect's scales at art or office supply stores.

Measure the location of doors and windows of the structures and add them to your plan. You will need them for creating entrances and identifying areas where you want to improve the views from inside.

Also locate existing walks, terraces, drives, fences, trees and shrubs to include on your base map. Even if you plan to change these elements, you will want to know the extent of demolition/removal that is in store.

They identify utility locations so you will know if you have a gas line running where you want your lap pool.

List all the elements you want your garden to include, all the activities you would like to see happen in the space, and what relationship to the house and lot they should have.

These may include: an outdoor living/entertaining area near the kitchen or family room where people gather to dine or just have fun; planting beds that add texture, fragrance and color to the garden; a children's play area that is easy to keep an eye on; a recreational area for swimming, football or other activity; a garden structure that screens the back of the neighbor's garage; a water feature that muffles the noise of the street; a service yard for all those things you don't want to look at; or even off-street parking if on-street parking has become increasingly difficult or you have multiple drivers in your household.

Now begin to lay out these areas on your base map. Remember your garden is an extension of your home and should complement its interior and exterior.

Formal homes will require a formal treatment to the garden style or a transitional area before the garden visitor is sent into a cultivated chaos. Select materials for the hardscapes (paving, fencing and landscape structures) that are in keeping with your home's architecture.

A landscape contractor can help you with refining selections to suit your budget, such as whether you can use cut stone versus stained concrete for paving.

Suzy Fischer is a registered Landscape Architect and principal of Fischer Schalles, a landscape design/build firm. Contact her at suzyinthegarden@urbanharvest.org. This column is produced by Urban Harvest. Learn about gardening classes, community gardens and orchards, farmers' markets and more atwww.urbanharvest.org.