SOME people who might like to start gardening, just don't know where to start. It all feels a bit daunting. Many are put off by their 'failures' and apparent lack of success in the garden. So where should you start?

Let's assume you want to start doing some gardening and you have a little space to use. First start by thinking about how much time you want to devote to your garden each week. Also consider what funds you have available although gardening doesn't have to be expensive.

It is useful to have some kind of plan in mind of where you are heading and aiming for. It may take some years to achieve your ambition. You can even sketch it out. It doesn't need to be precise. There are many things most of us need to include like a shed, a washing line or space for children to play. Perhaps you will need some paths to get to these areas. These all need to be part of your plan.

Your plan should refer to the kind of effect you want to achieve. Perhaps you aspire to a more tropical or exotic looking affect, or may be you are keen to encourage wildlife. You may like shrubs or grasses. What about having a pond? You may be keen to recycle artefacts in the garden or enjoy having containers full of plants around you. May be you just like having a lovely lawn. A really good lawn can be hard work to achieve. I would urge you to consider leaving some areas with longer grass and wild flowers to add interest and support wildlife. These don't need to look untidy. There are endless possibilities to aim towards in the garden. You may need to do some research to help you clarify what you like and what may be possible. Looking at other gardens, books or the internet may help give you some ideas.

A starting point can be developing ‘mixed borders’. A border is simply described as an area of cultivated soil for growing plants. A ‘mixed border’ might include a small tree or two depending on the space available, a number of shrubs which will generally be smaller but are still woody surrounded by what are called herbaceous or perennial plants ( which will be smaller) which may disappear during the winter but come back each year . These can be supplemented by grasses and gaps filled with bulbs and annual plants bought in or grown from seed each year. Taller plants tend to be put further back in the border. Thinking about how you mix these kinds of groupings of plants can help give some sense to your border(s).

Then there is colour and shape to consider. Various shades of green foliage can be very relaxing to look at and provide a foil for your plantings. Alternatively you may want to contrast colours. It's all down to personal preference. What colours and textures you use and how you mix them is your choice. For flower colour I tend to go for a fairly mixed pallet in many borders. Do make your borders big enough with sufficient depth. They also need siting where you can easily see them. This might be from a door way, a window or a patio.

You may have taken over a blank canvass and can get started fairly quickly. You may alternatively be faced with a jungle of plants and weeds many of which you don't know what they are. Try to identify them. There may be some you like and want to keep. Some serious hard work may be involved in digging them up and you may need to bring in some help. Try to set up a compost heap or log piles where you can around the perimeter of your patch as this will ultimately help feed and improve your soil and again support wildlife. This doesn't need to be untidy.

So there is a lot to think about here. You do feel better when you make a start in the garden. Don't worry about making mistakes. Everyone does. I have tried to give some pointers to getting started here.

You will learn as you go along, your confidence builds and hopefully your interest and passion for gardening will grow. If you can start to develop some of the areas of your garden that you see most this will be profoundly rewarding particularly if this is a result of your own toil and hard work. Be patient but also don't try to do everything at once. Gardening can be hard work but don’t let it become a chore. There are no quick fixes. Look for small successes and achievements that you can build on. First concentrate on the areas that you see most. Your garden plans shouldn't be static but will evolve and develop as you get to know your patch and what you really like.