Garden design6 min read
Garden design ideas that start with the way you live
A practical route from an awkward patch of ground to a garden with comfortable places, useful planting and a clear sense of direction.
A little knowledge. A better garden.
A little help. A better garden.Your next garden
Your next garden
starts right here.
Plan a border. Work out the soil. Give every plant room to grow. Practical tools that turn a garden idea into your next step.
15 free toolsNo account neededMade for real garden questions
Garden border plannerExample · 3 × 2 m
A little space. A living plan.
13 plants · 4 varieties · three layout options
13 plants · 4 varieties · three layout options
Start with the practical bits
All garden tools →Small questions. Useful answers.
How much soil? How many plants? When should I sow? Get a starting point you can use.
Soil & bags
Raised bed soil calculator
Work out how much soil to order, in litres, cubic metres and bags.
Open toolPlant quantities
Plant spacing calculator
Turn your bed dimensions and planting distance into an estimated plant count.
Open toolContainers & repotting
Pot volume calculator
Find the volume inside a pot and how much fresh potting mix to add.
Open toolSowing dates
Seed starting calculator
Work backwards from planting day to sowing and hardening-off dates.
Open toolWhat & when to cut
Hydrangea pruning tool
Find a pruning approach for your hydrangea’s flowering group.
Open toolRoof & tank capacity
Rainwater harvesting calculator
Estimate roof collection, tank space and overflow for a rainfall event.
Open toolFor the plant curious
Get to know your growing space.
Explore light and water. Track what germinates. Find the patterns in your own readings.
DLI & energy
Grow light calculator
Compare daily light, lighting hours, electricity use and running costs.
Open toolHumidity & dew point
VPD calculator
Explore air and leaf VPD, humidity and dew point on an interactive map.
Open toolRuntime & coverage
Irrigation calculator
Estimate watering runtime and check how evenly your system distributes water.
Open toolTray & experiment log
Seed germination tracker
Mark an interactive seed tray, compare two groups and chart germination.
Open toolOvernight observations
Greenhouse temperature log
Record inside and outside overnight lows, compare nights and export readings.
Open toolSensor CSV & heatmaps
Microclimate analyzer
Compare sensor readings across growing spaces with charts and heatmaps.
Open toolGrowing degree days
Season comparison tool
Compare accumulated heat, rainfall and cold days across two past seasons.
Open toolNitrate dilution
Aquarium water change calculator
Explore nitrate dilution through a series of partial water changes.
Open toolPut the plan into practice
Browse the guides →A little know-how to go with it.
The growing advice behind the numbers, from preparing a bed to getting seeds started.
Grow your own5 min read
Raised garden beds: plan the reach, soil and water before the frame
Decide whether a raised bed solves a real growing problem, then size and fill it for the crops and gardener.
A little knowledge. A better garden.
Grow your own5 min read
Spring gardening: a practical checklist led by conditions
Prepare the soil, sow at the right stage and move plants outside gradually, keeping local weather ahead of the calendar.
A little knowledge. A better garden.
Practical gardening guides and tools, developed under Tara Gosselin’s editorial direction. Clear methods, useful sources and room for your own observations.
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