| 1. | Select an area/piece of land that has a symmetrical shape and is easily accessible from your home. |
| 2. | The garden should have good fencing to ensure protection from stray animals, intruders etc. |
| 3. | Procure plants that are hardy and do not require too much of attention. For instance Croton, Monsteria, Palms, Money plant, Bougainvillea, Thuja, besides a variety of cactii and lillies can flourish without much fuss. |
| 4. | A bed of grass is absolutely essential for any garden. Visit a reputed nursery or consult a seasoned gardener (maali) for planting a good variety of grass. |
| 5. | Carefully weed out all the wild/unwanted plants, whenever you see them. If weeds are allowed to spread, they will damage your precious plants. |
| 6. | Add compost/homemade manure to your garden soil on a regular basis. |
| 7. | Plant some fruit trees which grow rapidly and easily withstand vagaries of weather. Some plants suggested are papaya, guava, lemon, grapefruit and pomegranate. |
| 8. | In case you are planning to have a bed of flowers select commonly available ones like poppy, sunflower, garden nasturtium, zinnia, phlox, aster, dahlia, larkspur, petunia, chrysanthemum etc. |
| 9. | Exotic flowering plants like roses and tube roses need special care. |
| 10. | Acquire these only if you are well- equipped and confident about looking after them well. |
| 11. | If you wish to have a kitchen garden try planting easily growing and high yielding plants --garlic, ginger, chillies, carrots, turnips, coriander, lady's finger, onions, radishes, brinjals, mint and lots more..they will help to cut down on your food expenses. |
| 12. | Make sure to trim the bushes and shrubs in your garden when the growth becomes wild. A garden with neat well-trimmed plants is aesthetically appealing. |
| 13. | If the plants in your garden get afflicted by insects, use a suitable insecticide in a professional way and not just casually. |
| 14. | Ferns are popular and much sought after garden plants. But they need careful handling and tending. So be very attentive to their needs. |
| 15. | Make sure to mow your lawn regularly. Unkempt lawns create a bad impression. |
| 16. | If you have enough space and adequate resources, put in a small fountain, statuettes or a couple of bid baths. These will add to the charm of your garden. |
| 17. | The latest trend these days is to have theme gardens - Japanese being the most favourite. To this effect colourful and exotic plants are imported-at fancy prices of course!. In fact there is a flourishing market selling all kinds of artifacts to decorate your garden with. |