Welcome to growing! Are you thinking an edible garden or flowers? The best way to begin is by gardening in pots. You can recycle an old pot or buy a new pot but for best success use potting soil. I like Miracle Grow or Osmocote potting soil because the fertilizer is already mixed in. If you want to start a garden in the ground than improve the soil before you plant anything. You can purchase compost in plastic bags from the garden center and work this into the soil by following the instructions on the back of the bag. If all this sounds overwhelming you may want to start by reading a basic gardening book (go to Amazon.com and they even have a book called \"Gardening for Dummies\") or join a local garden club and the members will give you not only advice but share plants with you as well. We are here to help as you get started with seeds or plants. Send us photos of your progress as well. Keep Growing, Marianne Binetti