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A Garden Guide

Give Your Garden a Theme

By Teri Brown

Tropical gardens involve heavy use of water and coarse-textured, brightly colored flowers. I've seen tropical gardens in every growing zone.

"The only way to really know what garden style suits you is to garden," says Turner. "Gardens evolve over time; a garden isn't a finished product, but a process. To see what you might like, look at garden style magazines, books or visit your local botanical garden."

Walter Reeves, expert gardener and star of the DIY Network's Garden Sense, takes it a bit further. Reeves suggests that you think about who you are and what you want out of your garden. Oftentimes the best place to start looking is within your own home. "If you are the kind of person that has your magazines stacked neatly and your kitchen counters are bare, you may not be ready for the English cottage garden," says Reeves. "Chances are you would be more comfortable with a more formal, stylized garden. I can imagine a vibrant, outgoing, more flamboyant personality choosing the cottage garden style."

Reeves goes on to suggest that those who enjoy tai chi or karate may gravitate toward Japanese or Chinese gardens with their simplified forms and clean appearance. You don't have to be stuck with just one theme either. "You can have more than one style of garden in your yard, as long as they are not too close together," says Reeves. "Think about the different angles of view you have in your garden. You can have a cottage-type garden in one area and have a more formal garden in another area."

Visit gardens around where you live and see how a certain style makes you feel. One that really says something to you may be just what you are looking for. And remember, the nice thing about gardening is that if you make a style mistake, it can always be undone next season!