If the garden is going to be in, or next to, a lawn, you will probably want a border of some kind to keep the lawn from trying to reclaim its territory. Not knowing what part of the States you are in, I don't know what kind of grass you have--if Kentucky Bluegrass or Creeping Fescue, a border 6" deep is sufficient to stop the rhizomes. Down south, 6" is good enough for St. Augustine or Centipede Grass, but Kikuyu and especially Bermudagrass, will need a full foot. Heavy duty plastic, concrete, aluminum (in acid soil), copper or stainless steel (in alkaline soil), are recommended, to avoid rotting, as happens to all woods, even "rot resistant" ones, such as cedar or redwood.

But, as long as the bottom of the border has the proper depth, the top can look like anything you want it to: natural stone, wood, ornamental wire-work, etc.

You need to find out what you would like your garden to look like. Use the A-Z at the foot of the page to find others gardens and decide on what you want then sit down and draw a plan of your garden to incorporate as much as you will have time or money to plant up and keep looking the way you want it. You will continually change your mind over the years and gain experience from your own efforts or ask if you are unsure. There is always someone on line whowill respond to Q's. EG click on R to find rockery gardens or G for gravel garden ideas. You will soon find your way around the site. Welcome to GOY. We will look forward to seeing your garden emerge.

Garden border's do not have to be regimented straight lines, if anything wavy, twisting lines add interest to the border. A cottage style garden may be what you are thinking: http://www.growsonyou.com/gardening/cottage-garden-ideas

I admit that I was making some assumptions. When they were talking about puting in a garden, and immediately started talking about borders, I assumed that they were talking about a vegetable garden, or a flowerbed! If they are talking about a full yard makeover, that is a far more complex, rigorous, and, ultimately, satisfying prospect. Yes, do check out other's gardens, especially those from climates similar to yours. Also check with your local Cooperative Extension office, to see if they have any publications applicable to your efforts. The local municipal water suppliers may also have good advice, especially on saving water in the landscape. A good landscape designer is also well worth the expense. Look for people that have long experience in the area--one of the most common things I have to do as a nurseryman, is to replace California coastal plants, designed into our Arizona desert yards by designers who are recent transplants!

That is sound advice Tug. it can be costly to make mistakes as well as difficult if something unsuitable fails down the line. The hole in your landscape when plants have to be removed can be unsightly and difficult to hide. People tend to plant big plants too closely which is unfair to the plants and a waste of money. I planted everything in our garden with growing room between. For the first few years perennials, annuals and bulbs filled the space into which the plants grew.

Over planting is a common mistake here, too. A properly designed yard will look sparse and bare the first year, better the second year, and gorgeous the fifth year on. Improperly designed, it will look good the first year, over-full the second year, and by the fifth year..."Martha, get the machete!!" : )

lol Tug its a small world. I would disagree on the sparse the first year though. Planting is usually done over the winter months so there is no reason why those gaps between the plants should be left bare. Perrenials do not cost a huge amount and you may be able to get plants from family or friends or a packet of annuals goes a long way. In Uk we can buy a packet of seed which will give you thousands of seeds for very little. Do not leave space for the weeds to grow. Fill it with something.

Definitely use annuals or perennials to add interest, at first. Unfortunately, most people's idea of "bare", around here, is nothing at eye level. Also, the norm for landscaping around here, if you don't have a lawn, is a floor of some sort of ornamental gravel--not much opportunity for flowers in that, especially if you want to keep weeds under control.

That is a shame Tug. On a Countryfile programme the other night I noticed some wild flowers were growing so stopped to see what it was about. Apparently in UK we used to have thousands of acres of wild flowers. Because their habitats have been destroyed we are now facing a shortage of bees. Bees need to have nectar producing flowers and farmers are now being asked to increase their contribution to replace the lost acres. In addition to the loss of flowers there is also a loss of small animals and insects. It might be good to keep in mind that gardeners should be looking at growing single rather than double flowered varieties in their gardens as these produce more nectar. We are often unaware of the damage we are doing to the worlds ecological future.