Starting a Garden with Flowers, Rock Bed, and Waterfall: Read Books First, Then Plan

Begin at the library: "Sunset Western Garden Book", "Taylor's Master Guide to Landscaping", "The Well-Tended Perennial Garden". Sketch your yard, note sun/shade, drainage, views. Lawn care: mow 2×/week, fertilize 4×/year, water 1 inch/week. Need yard size, grass type, and your time budget for specifics. Start small—a flower bed near the patio—and expand as you learn.