Garden design CD

I think with any CD you will find that you spend more time learning how to use it than you ever do actually doing any designing!

I've written a couple of pages on the design and construction of a classic English herbaceous border I created at .....

http://www.winsfordwalledgarden.com/development.aspx?Group=development&Page=herbaceous_border_design

From there you can visit other 'how to' pages I've created in 'Garden World' including 'Gardening Guides' and 'Gardening Skills' for example

I once heard these CDs described as 'Mr Blobby Goes Gardening'! Get yourself a piece of paper, a pencil and a rubber and you'll save yourself time, money and your sanity! These CDs dont do the designing for you - they are just a means of putting shapes on a picture. Don't worry too much about design to begin with. Work out what growing conditions you've got - soil pH, sun or shade, dry or moist, how cold it gets in your area - then go to a garden centre, pick plants you like the look of and then read the lable to make sure it will be ok with your conditions. You will have a few disasters, but many many successes that way! Good luck with it :-)

Oh i do agree with Sid and Muddywellies, i have tried a couple in the past and they are not easy to use, in my experience, and to be honest it is just as easy to see what you want by doing a bit of reasearch yourself, as Sid has said important to know what conditions you have, PH, aspect etc, so that you will get greater sucess with what you grow, then start with climbers on boundrys (if any) and then Trees and whats known as your back bone shrubs, then onto perennials and seasonal interest annuals bedding etc. you have everything you need to design your garden at your finger tips as we type lol - GOY is fab for getting info and ideas, have a brouse. that is my advice, hope it helps

All you ever need to use is this website - everyone will give you tips on what to plant, when to plant it and how to take care of it. No CD or book can do all that!

ok your all right, I guess I was looking for an easy way out but would probably only get myself further into a mess!

Will get the pen and paper out this week and as suggested use all the expert advice I have here at my finger tips.

Many thanks for putting me back on the right path!!

The only Cd I've ever used took ages just to get the size and shape of the garden/border loaded. I just gave up! Pen and paper is better. Get a file and keep it just for gardening notes, scribbles, plant ideas etc. Also cut out any nice magazine pictures that you like the look of and scan them. I'm sure that we can help identify any plants in them.