So you’ve set the goals for your garden, as we outlined in a post earlier this week, and you’re ready to start putting pen to paper. Google Earth makes it easy to quickly create a plan to scale.
Zoom in on the space you want to garden and print out an image. Next, take separate sheets of tracing paper and use them to map out:
- your goals
- existing conditions such as trees and buildings
- future plantings
- where water flows when it rains
- sun and shade
- problem areas
- topography
- future paths (more on this in tomorrow’s post)
- permaculture zones
For a more accurate and sizable plan you can also use Google’s free 3D modeling program SketchUp. The drawback with SketchUp is that it requires a couple of evenings to learn.
If only we had taken the time to draw up a plan to scale when we first moved into our house back in 1998! Better late than never, and at least it’s easier now thanks to Google.
Special thanks to Darren Butler and Scott Kleinrock for inspiring this post!