Coloring books for meditation are on the rise as a form of relaxation. Popular designs to color feature plants, flowers, and flora-styled mandalas. The beauty of nature is a common motif for centering yourself and reflecting. If you have a garden, you may have spent an afternoon sketching the blossoms of spring or the leaves of fall. Drawing your garden is a calming way to appreciate your backyard oasis, taking moments to meditate on the blooms and tendrils.

Even if you don’t have a garden, you might pause to draw while a walk in the woods or by a stream. Perhaps you have considered planting a garden yourself so that you can have closer access to the beauty of nature. Drawing out a garden plan is a great place to start.

If you already have a garden, it is never too late to plan or reorganize the layout. Drawing your garden is a great way to visualize where your blossoms might look best. Dive into some simple landscaping by imagining your future garden design.

Drawing out your garden also keeps you organized by recording where you plant seeds and bulbs. When the sprouts start peeking through the soil, they all look similar. Drawing your garden with detailed plans helps you avoid confusion and allows your creativity to flow with structure.

Here’s how to create an accurate drawing of your garden:

Step 1: Observe the Land

Walk around your garden to gather the measurements. Use a measuring tape from end to end of your garden space. Write the measurements of the perimeter on a piece of paper, taking note of which each belongs to (you don’t want to get them confused). This includes the entire outside length and width of your garden.

If your garden already has some features like planters or rows, then measure these too. While walking around, make sure to jot down where your existing plants are so that you can draw them in later. Keep track of their placements by dots or x’s marking their placement.

Step 2: Draw it Out

Sketch the garden layout on a piece of paper. Draw your garden to scale. This means that you will need a measuring tape so you can draw a scale model on paper. Not sure how to convert your measurements? A bit of simple math will keep your plot accurate. Assign a ratio to your actual measurement. For example, say that 1 inch of your measurement is equivalent to ¼ inch on your drawing. Divide each of your measurements by the amount you by which you want to shrink it down. So, for example, I am going to shrink the sizes down by ¼, in other words, by 25%. Take your measurement, let’s say 10 inches and multiply by .25 to shrink (10 x 0.25= 2.5). The resulting amount will be what you draw on your garden plan

Step 3: Imagine More

Now it’s time to add the pretty parts. Draw in the existing plants, trees, or architectural elements. Don’t worry if you are artistically challenged. When drawing your garden, it’s alright to simplify. Create symbols for each different plant or draw a simple sketch.

Mark where you have planted new seeds and bulbs. This information can be noted in our plant journal, where you keep notes about how to care for each plant.

This is also your place to get creative and imagine your future garden. After drawing out the structure of your garden, it’s easier to visualize and plan where you want to place new features. Remember to account for the size and scaling of objects in your plans, so you have enough space for your fountains, shrubbery, or flower garden.

Step 4:

Create a legend, a section off to the side of your drawing, which serves as a key. Use this area to write out what each symbol or sketch represents, whether it is a tree, bush, or a fountain. This ensures that your drawing is organized and legible. The point is to allow creativity through the organization, so you want to make sure you can read your own work

For final steps, you may want to color in the design with colored pencils or watercolor. You could also laminate the drawing so you can bring it into the garden without being ruined by water or dirt.

Frequently Asked Questions: Drawing Your Garden

I’m new to gardening, where should I start?

After planning your garden, get your tools, decide which plants you want and start planting. You’ll want to decide if you are going to germinate plants from seeds or buy full-grown plants. Read further about starting a garden here.

What type of paper or notebook should I use?

Starting off, I recommend using tracing paper, which is a thin translucent material that will help you transfer your sketch to a full drawing. If you plan on pasting your garden layout drawing in your plant journal, make sure that the size of the paper will fit in your notebook before. You wouldn’t have to re-do the drawing or fold it awkwardly.

Can someone create a drawing for me if I can’t?

If you don’t trust yourself to draw the layout, or are having trouble doing so, there are always alternatives. Seek out a local landscaping professional to help you measure the land as well as create an accurate sketch to guide your garden. There is also some helpful internet software that streamlines the process. Garden Planner Online allows you to draw online blueprints of your garden to the exact dimensions, as well as plan where you want to place each plant.

What are some helpful apps to organize or draw my garden?

We’ve compiled a list of gardening apps that might be of great use to r gardening journey. From plant identifiers to organizers to virtual planners, check out these free gardening apps.