Do some armchair gardening if the weather is just too bad to do any work outside. Arm yourself with inspirational books, and allow yourself to dream.
Planning ahead and making lists of new plants and features for your garden next year helps get you organised. When you know what you want well in advance, you can pick up the right plants before everyone else gets there first. And with memories still fresh about what did and didn't do well for you this year, you can decide what to change for the better (and what to keep just as it is!)
Start with a sketch of the garden, drawn to scale on some graph paper, plus the positions of any permanent objects like sheds or trees. Then start to fill in your planting ideas: use pictures in books and magazines to inspire you, and think carefully about colour combinations and creating height and interest with contrasting textures and shapes. Add some well-placed garden furniture and you'll be poised to begin. We'll be here to help you all the way, so come on in and start turning those dreams into reality!
