One of the exciting things about moving into a new house is exploring the garden and waiting to see which plants grow and flower at different times of the year especially if you move in during the winter months. It is a good idea to wait until a year has passed before doing any major changes to a garden for this reason as trees that look very uninspiring during winter can look beautiful in spring and summer when covered with blossom and foliage.
During this first year take the opportunity to observe which areas of the garden are in sun and shade as this will help you to decide where to put specific plants in the future. For instance, if there is an area that gets little sunlight think about using this area for a pond surrounded by pond plants and ferns that will flourish in shady places.
Trees that are in the garden should be assessed to see whether they need pruning back in the autumn or whether they should be removed completely or relocated elsewhere on the plot.
If you are a keen gardener and like to grow your own produce think about allocating an area in the garden for a vegetable patch as there is nothing more rewarding than eating produce from your own garden.