First, you'll need to do a bit of studying to learn about planting in your area. Read the weather almanac to determine what types of plants are best for your location and the type of weather you can expect to face at any given time of the year. You'll discover which types of plants prefer sunny areas as well as those that thrive in moderate shade.
Before you can figure out your layout or how much land your garden will require, you'll need to decide what you want to plant. If you've never started a garden before, it's a good idea to talk with people at the nursery to pick up some helpful bits of advice. While you're there, you can purchase garden tools like spades, shovels, rakes, leaf sweepers, hoes, hoses and watering timers.
When you have purchased all of the items needed to start your spring garden, sketch out a rough outline of how you would like it to look. Whether you plan to cultivate flowers, shrubs, fruits, vegetables or a combination of plants, it's important to keep a running record of where each variety is planted. This allows you to care for each type individually as needed, watering and fertilizing as specified by the seeds' packaging or a garden encyclopedia. Before you begin planting, make sure you have your fertilizer lined up in an organized fashion, preferably along the edge of your garden or against a nearby fence. Keeping it within arm's reach will help immensely when you need to till the soil and nurture your budding plants. Depending on the types of seeds you sow, you may begin to reap the rewards of your work within a few short weeks of the arrival of spring.