So with this in mind, let's take a look at some basics to get you started. Your own creativity and personal preferences will take care of the rest!

Two things are the key to creating a garden that accents your home year round.

The first is planting the right thing at the right time. For example, planting young perrenials in the fall is generally a no-no, as young plants need the spring and summer weather to establish their root systems and store nutrients to survive the long haul through winter. You don't want to spend money on a plant only to find it's nowhere to be found the following summer.

The second key to a great year round garden is understanding the cycle of your respective plants. For example, you don't want to have plants that only flower from May to July. The idea is to "stagger" your plants so that just as one blooming or maturation cycle is finishing on one group of plants, others are just starting to hit their stride.

Doing this brings a not only a sense of continuim to the garden, but also a sense of excitement. It takes gardening to the next level by taking advantage of your garden's inate capacity to change and evolve as the seasons pass.

In fact, a fun idea is to take a picture of your garden on the first of every month. When you look back through all twelve pictures, you'll be amazed at the changes that take place. These changes will become even more obvious once you start practicing the basic principles of planting at the right time and taking advantage of staggered maturation cycles.

What to plant in your garden is ultimately up to you. But for now, let's go through a mock year in a garden. You can get some insight on what you should be doing and planting through each season. It will also help you start brainstorming about some of your favourite plants and how you can bring out their full potential.