Hi @TNathan,
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.
If you had some photos of your garden, could you please share them with us so we can get an idea of what you are working with? Seeing the space would help us offer the most specific advice possible. Let me know if you need a hand uploading images, I am happy to help if required.
You might like to start by having a look at these articles which provide some great information on planning and designing gardens -
Any garden plan should start with an assessment of what is already there. Without seeing it, it is difficult to say what the best approach would be, but sometimes a clean slate can be the way to go; other times, there will be elements that are better off being worked into the plan.
Once you have a clear idea of what’s there, create a simple plan. Sketch the garden on paper and divide it into areas such as feature zones for larger plants, borders for structure, and groundcover sections to keep weeds down. Consider how you want to navigate through the garden and where paths or open areas might be placed. This planning step helps you avoid random planting and ensures that every area has a purpose.
When it comes to choosing plants, focus on native species that naturally thrive in your region. A walk through some local parks or native spaces to see what is growing can often be a good exercise for this, as well as a nice day out. There are quite a few apps that you can use to snap a picture of a plant and identify it, so you can incorporate it in your plan for your home.
Defining the edges of the garden is also an easy way to make it look well planned. Install borders of concrete edging, timber sleepers, or other styles of garden edging to separate lawns from garden beds. Add gravel or mulched pathways to give the garden structure and reduce maintenance. These small details help transform an overgrown space into one that looks organised and cared for.
Start with a simple plan on a page and then work out from there. You can get into more detail as things become clearer in your mind.
Some time spent looking through the Garden Design section of our website would also be worthwhile.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Jacob
