Before you rush out to buy plants, grass seed and all of the paraphernalia that goes with it, you should clear your garden. Dig up any weeds, make sure that it is not the existing rose bush you are pulling up! and when you have finished give the soil a good raking over. Once you have done this you should add some compost as this will help to make the soil richer and  better for growing things

When you have cleared your space it is a good idea to measure it out and decide what size lawn you are going to have, if you want one, and how much room that leaves for everything else. You may want to add a water feature to your garden or put in some decking, but if you are new to gardening it is better to get either a seasoned gardener friend to help or a professional to do it for you.

Once you have decided on how much space you have for plants, then you can start thinking about the types of plants you want. Get yourself a good gardening book because that will tell you what type of soil different plants needs, if the soil is too acid or alkaline then there are certain plants you will not be able to grow. You can buy an acid testing kit from your local gardening centre quite cheaply, and at least you won't be planting things that don't stand a chance in your garden's particular soil type. Traditionally bare rooted plants were planted in Autumn, this remains a good time of year for planting but these days most plants are grown in containers and can therefore be planted at anytime of year to suit you.

Try to establish which part of the garden gets the most sun (aspect) if you plan on growing tomatoes for example, then they will need to be planted where there is plenty of sunshine. Some plants are quite hardy and will grow in almost any type of soil. Nasturtiums for example will grow almost anywhere and some rose bushes are also very hardy and easy to please. Cornflowers and poppies grow quite well in most gardens, as do bulbs such as daffodils. Providing you water your new plants regularly, remove any weeds, and treat them well with the occasional bit of plant food, you will soon have some colourful flower beds

Nowadays most people lay turf in their gardens because it is far less labour intensive than planting grass seeds and covering them in netting to stop the birds from eating them. Buy the best turf you can afford, measure the area carefully to make sure that you have enough, and get a professional to lay it for you. If you plan on having some trees in your garden then you shouldn't put them too close to the house or existing outer walls. The roots of a tree spread out and you could find yourself with a real problem in years to come. If you have any expensive plants in your garden, or a water feature, then it would be a good idea to find out whether you can add them to your  Home insurance policy