So, you're stuck at home and you want to start a garden.
But you've never done it before.
So let's talk about how to get started.
First! Identify your climate zone.
This is important.
https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ 

Your climate zone tells you what may or may not be compatable with your area.
Lots of stores sell plants outside the climate zone of any area.
Example..Azaleas are sold in Indiana regularly and have a very time thriving with our cold climate.

You can plant anything....but will it do the best it can?
Next! Identify your soil type!
This is also important.
When you know where you are starting..you know what you can plant right away and how to improve your soil. https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/find-out-your-soil-type/

Next!
Make sure you can plant what you want if you have an HOA. This is also important for suburbanites and such.
Many HOAs are VERY perticular.
Consider your surroundings and climate.
Make a list of plants you want.
Yep, go to Pinterest or plant websites.

I like Breck's and Proven Winners.
Burpee is also quite good.
Spring Hill I find hit and miss.

Anyways.
Look at the information of plants you want.
Sun requirements, soil preferrence, all that.
Now, once you found your plants..

Look at where the sun hits your yard at any time.
Is your front super shady all the time? Hostas! Ferns!
Do you get all day sun in the backyard?
Tons of options! Sun flowers! Veggies!

What do you want your garden to do?

By that I mean..
Do you want a habitat for pollinators and birds?
Do you want something incredibly structured?
Do you love single color gardens?
Cottage gardens from English contryside?
Do you just want something nice that you made?

No wrong answers.
None.
Google what you like and plan it out.
Plan first. Trust me.
Or you'll be shlubbing transplants all over for years.
ASK ME HOW I KNOW.

So you did all this!
Huzzah!
Garden!
But wait.
How much time do you have for your garden?
How much time will you have when the world goes outside en masse again?
Ah.
Questions.

Gardening is WORK.
Yep. It is.
Delightful elder folks and stay at home moms like me can tell you why they have massive, gorgeous gardens.
They have the time.
Anyone can garden.
But plan according to available time.
Start small, and go from there.

And yes..I will be so gauche as to say my garden is gorgeous.

I will also tell you nature spirits have lamented themassive amounts of dead plants I have had.
No matter how long you do this..plants die.
It's ok.
Really.

So!
When you plant something and it dies..it is not a pointless waste.
Worms have wound around the roots and arriated/enriched the soil.
The decomposing plants will feed yet more bugs and enrich your soil.
You learned something that didn't work.
That's good!

So be gentle with yourself.
Find something you love and want to nurture in your yard.
A shrub, a rock garden, whatever.

If you want suggestions...
Coneflowers are amazingly hardy, native to most places and provide seeds to birds and pollen to pollinators.

I sing the praises of coneflowers yearly really..because I get new ones.
They are remarkable plants and great for starting a garden.
They spread on their own.
Free plants!

If you have never in your life planted anything outside....there are many places to start.
It all seems kind of confusing and a little intimidating.
Talk to folks at nurseries or folks you trust.
Monty Don makes great garden shows and is very soothing.

I fully encourage anyone who wants to garden, to do so.
You got this.
Start with what you love and work from that.
Large gardens..are built over YEARS.
Mine is 6 years in the making at this house.
I have been gardening since I was a child.

Don't be intimidated by crappy soil or a bad landscaping job before.
When I moved into this house..the yard was weeds..gravel and car parts.
No joke.
I still find odd bits of wire.
So, I did not start with a perfecr canvas.
I made it what I wanted over the years.

So start at it!
Go! To websites!
Look at the pretty plants!
They are still shipping plants BTW.
One plant that makes you feel happy, and make it grow.

Lastly...if you want to grow food...temper your expectations.
It takes a TON of food to feed a family fully.
This is not practical for most folks.
BUT!
You sure can make yourself tasty foods and herbs.

Many home grown foods are not pretty, and not huge.
Tomatoes particularly are drama queens and like to be petty when it comes to thriving in some places.
Don't take it personally.
Farming food is a lot of work.

If you have dogs, do not plant your foodin the ground where they go to the bathroom.
Use raised beds. This is safety.
Veggies, most of them..need full sun.
Zucchini will take over your life if you let them. Easy plant, lots of foods.

If you want mint...for love of all that is holy...use containers.
Unless you want a yard of mint. Then plant it where ever.
Mint spreads. Catmint, spearmint, peppermint, catnip..anything mint spreads aggresively.

So there we go.
Garden!
Good!
But work.
Ask me questions if you have them.
I will talk plants all day.

One last thing...if you moved somewhere and are unsure if you have a weed or a plant...
This is a good place to start.
Clovers are good for bees if your yard is untreated btw. https://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/insects-diseases-weeds/types-of-weeds/?slide=slide_311cdaba-e11b-4424-a02b-2aa4d02bd630#slide_311cdaba-e11b-4424-a02b-2aa4d02bd630