When you’re planning a garden — whether it’s a vegetable bed to plant this spring or an entire home landscape you will develop over years — the first step is to take measurements.
“It’s critical to know how much space you have to work with and what else is in that space,” said Julie Janoski, Plant Clinic manager at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.
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Accurate measurements will help you choose varieties of trees and shrubs that are the right size for your property and won’t get too big to be a problem. Knowing the numbers will help you figure out how much mulch or compost or lawn fertilizer to buy, or how many tomato plants you can fit into a raised bed. When you build raised beds, you’ll be able to plan the right size and position them with space in between for a wheelbarrow.
“You’ll be able to make much better decisions if you have good information,” she said.
It’s often easier to measure in winter. “You can see the bare structure of things, without leaves in the way,” she said. For a smaller space, a 12-foot or 25-foot tape measure will work. For measuring an entire property, a 100-foot tape measure, available for less than $25, is handy.
A plat of survey is a good place to start. It will show the overall dimensions of your property and the location and exterior dimensions of the house. However, it may not show important changes, such as a house addition, a wider driveway or a shed.
If you don’t have a plat of survey, make a rough sketch of the property and mark dimensions on it. You can refine it into a plan later using graph paper. Some garden design websites will help you make a digital plan.
Even general measurements are helpful, but more detail will help you make better plans, Janoski said. Measure things like the width of the path, the gate and the driveway. Because the view from inside your house is important, mark the location and width of windows. Note basement window wells. Show the garbage can, compost bin and dog run.
Mark the position and dimensions of large constructions — paths, patios, fences, the driveways. Even if you’re thinking about changing a patio or a garden bed, you’ll need to know where it is now. “Be sure to look up and mark overhead utility lines,” Janoski said. “You will want to avoid planting trees too close to them.”
As you measure, think about how large objects such as the house and garage cast shade or allow sunlight to fall on your garden. For example, if your house stands to the east of your backyard, the yard will get more sun in the afternoon than in the morning. “How long the sun shines on your plants is a major factor in gardening success, so it’s important to understand sunlight in your yard,” she said.
Mark the locations of air conditioning units, dryer vents, and gutter downspouts. “Blasts of warm air or flows of water change the conditions for plants, so you need to know where they are,” Janoski said. Note other places with special conditions, such as slopes; low places where the soil is always wet; or dry, hot spots near concrete walks or driveways.
Include the locations of your outdoor faucets. “You can save work by locating plants that need frequent watering near the water source,” she said.
When you mark the locations of trees, show how far the branches spread. “It’s important to know what areas will be in shade in summer,” Janoski said. Note trees in your neighbors’ yards that may cast shade in yours. Bear in mind that trees grow, and so will shade.
“Once you have a basic plan, update it every few years,” she said. “It will help you get an informed start on a garden or a new gardening season.”
For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or [email protected]). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.