Gardening for Beginners

Gardening is Easier Than You Think!

If you’re a beginner gardener, you might think gardening is complicated, expensive, or only for people with big gardens and endless free time, but that couldn’t be further from the truth!

Gardening can be simple, affordable, and one of the most rewarding hobbies you’ll ever take on – even if you’ve never planted a thing in your life. Whether you have a big garden, a balcony, or just a sunny windowsill, you can start a garden today.

Gardening also offers real mental health benefits, like reducing stress and boosting your mood. By the end of this blog, you’ll know exactly what you need to start gardening and how easy it really is.

What You Really Need to Start Gardening

You don’t need fancy tools or professional skills to get going. The most important tool you can have in the garden is your hands, plus maybe a few basics, including:

Seeds or Starter Plants: Start with easy-to-grow seeds (like basil or sunflowers) or if you’re a little more impatient and looking for a head start you can pick up young plants in the garden centre.

Containers or Small Plots: You don’t need a huge backyard. A few pots, hanging baskets, or a small raised bed are perfect for beginners. You can find out more about container gardening here: Container Garden

Good Soil or Potting Mix: Healthy plants need healthy soil. Invest in a good quality potting mix if you’re growing in containers or enrich your garden soil with compost – we have some fantastic ranges of composts and our guide on choosing the right compost is a great place to start: Choose The Right Compost

Water Source: A watering can, hose, or even a spray bottle for seedlings will work. Easy and accessible watering is key.

Sunlight: Most plants need about 6 hours of sunlight daily. No sun? No problem — some plants thrive in partial shade too!

Nice-to-Haves (Optional but Helpful):

A small trowel or hand shovel for digging.

Gardening gloves to protect your hands.

A simple, slow-release fertilizer for extra plant nutrition

You can pick these all up in store at Simpsons. If you’re not sure what you need, then ask our team for their expert tips and advice.

Choosing Your First Plants: Keep It Easy!

One of the biggest mistakes new gardeners make is choosing difficult, high-maintenance plants. Set yourself up for success by picking “forgiving” plants that thrive with little effort.

Here are some great beginner choices:

Herbs: Basil, mint, parsley, and chives grow fast and smell amazing.

Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, radishes, and lettuce are super quick to grow and highly rewarding.

Flowers: Marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias add instant colour and are surprisingly tough.

TOP TIP: Always check the back of seed packets or plant tags — many will say “great for beginners” or “easy to grow.” Plus, they will usually give you the exact guide on how to plant, when to plant and more.

Setting Up Your First Garden

Let’s Pick The Perfect Spot:

Sunlight is a garden’s best friend. Most fruits, vegetables, and flowers need around 6–8 hours of direct sunlight per day.

Look for a spot that’s easy for you to reach – the closer it is to your door, the more likely you’ll water, check, and enjoy it regularly! That old saying “out of sight out of mind” is certainly true if you’re first starting out in the garden, so making sure you can’t miss your plants daily is a handy way to get into a routine.

Preparing Your Soil or Containers

In the ground: Loosen the soil with a shovel, hand trowel, or simply just your hands to help roots grow easily.

In containers: Use a good potting mix designed for container gardening. Containers actually give you more control over soil quality and drainage, making them ideal for beginners. You can also pick up a pre-planted container in-store if you’re looking for some instant colour in your garden.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

We’ve all made mistakes, even the most experienced gardeners can make mistakes, but if you treat them as lessons rather than failures, you will thrive – and so will your garden. Here are a few to watch out for:

Overwatering: Most plants hate soggy roots. Let the soil dry a bit between watering – and remember to always check an inch below the surface before deciding to water.

Planting Too Early: If you’re planting outdoors, know your local frost date to avoid losing young plants to cold snaps. In Scotland we know our weather can be very unpredictable, so keep up-to-date on the weather apps, and always keep some fleece lining (which you can pick up at the garden centre) to cover your tender plants if the frost is forecast.

Giving Up Too Soon: One dead plant doesn’t make you a bad gardener. Every mistake teaches you something new! If you are struggling with your plants, then be sure to pop in and see us, as our team can help identifying where you are perhaps having trouble. Find your nearest Simpsons to visit: Our Centres

Remember – GARDENING IS FUN!

Gardening is about more than just growing plants — it’s about growing yourself, getting outside, learning something new and being a part of a growing community! Here’s some ways you can make gardening fun:

Start a Garden Journal: Record what you planted, when you watered, and what works well. You’ll learn so much by looking back, and be able to see how far you’ve come.

Join a Gardening Community: Local groups, online forums, or social media communities are full of people ready to share tips and cheer you on.

Celebrate Your Wins: Whether it’s your first tomato, a tiny sprig of mint, or a single marigold bloom, it’s a success worth celebrating.