In this article, we will take you through the steps to create an incredibly helpful garden map. Watch our video describing the process.
The Need for a Garden Map
Have you ever stepped out into your yard and asked: Which plants, how many, and where am I going to grow next season? How do you even begin to answer a question that broad?
Perhaps, some better questions would be: how many plants can I grow? Where am I able to grow my plants? Does my yard have the space to support my vision for my garden?
What you need is a garden map: A picture of your yard, with every measurement noted, that you can hold in your hand, and precisely insert the plants that you will grow.
This garden map will become the foundation of every decision you make regarding the design of your yard. Follow these steps to create your own garden map.
Step #1 – Gather Your Materials
- Tape measure – we use the 100-foot Dewalt fiberglass measuring tape. It’s nice to have a flexible measuring tape when measuring uneven spaces.
- Notebook and pen to write down the measurements
- Graph paper – I bought this 11×17 graph paper, although, next time I will buy something without borders (you will see why later).
- Drawing pencil – nothing fancy, just something you can draw lightly with.
- Eraser
- Landscape templates (optional).
Step #2 – Measure Your Yard
Measuring your yard can be a daunting task. Our advice is to start by finding a straight line in your yard that is not going to move. The most obvious choice is a side of your house. You could also choose a fence or a concrete patio. You will use this line as a reference point for all other measurements.
In this example, we used the house. We measured the length of the house and from there, measured from the corners of the house to find other measurements.
We have divided up examples of your garden map yard measurements into “large,” “medium,” and “small.”
Large Measurements
These are the longest measurements you will take. For example…
Length of the house
Left side of the house to the back of the yard
Right side of the house to the back of the yard
Length of the fence/yard on the left, right and back sides
Length and width of the driveway
Medium Measurements
These are other measurements that will help you get a sense of where other smaller permanent structures, plants, and objects are.
Distance from the fence to a tree (record the distance from multiple directions)
Existing garden beds
Patio dimensions
Composting System
Chicken Coop
Sprinkler System
Small Measurements
These are the final details to round out the picture. Such as…
Flower pots
Decorative boulders
Chairs, benches, and outdoor tables
Raised Beds
In case you can’t tell, you will need a lot of measurements to wholly and accurately map your yard. You will also want to be relatively precise. Not to the level of precision as if you were doing a construction project; you simply want to be able to confidently make decisions about how you will order your garden.
Note:
For trees, measure both the location of the trunk and the spread of the tree. For measuring the spread, use your measuring tape to get a general diameter by starting at the outermost edge of the tree branches and walking across to the other side. This will help you plan what shade plants and how many you may want to plant under the tree.
Rough Sketch of Your Garden Map
We recommend making a rough sketch of your yard in a notebook. Write down all the above measurements with arrows as you go. Don’t be concerned with making your sketch to scale, yet, but, be highly detailed in your descriptions.
Step #3 – Draw Your Map
Start by picking your scale. On graph paper, one square is 1/4 inch. If you want to use a 1/4 inch scale, that means 1/4 inch (one square) = 1 foot in the real world.
Next, take your two longest measurements; most likely the length and depth of the yard, and make sure you will have enough space on your paper, based on your scale. You will likely need to tape multiple sheets of paper together – or use a single large sheet.
Now, draw your first line. It is helpful to start with the perimeter and the bigger measurements you have. Once you have your space drawn out on the page, add the medium-sized measurements; the patio or deck, the side yards, the current beds you want to keep, trees and bushes, the sprinkler system, etc.
Once everything is drawn in and you feel good about it, it’s time to decide what plants go where! Expect to have a few rough drafts. This is a skill that takes some practice.
Now that you’ve measured all that you can, you are ready to move into designing the garden space!