If you want to know how to manage your money and create wealth, look no further than your garden. The principles you use to create a beautiful, flourishing garden are exactly the same as you need for wealth creation.

Let’s say you are starting with a bare piece of land to create your magnificent masterpiece. The starting point is work out what resources you have available. What is the nature of the soil, the climate and the growing conditions? Is there any preparation needed to the site to make it more fertile? In money terms, this means looking at the financial resources you have available currently, your ability to earn and add to your wealth, and how solid and stable your current financial situation is.

Next comes the planning and design. What is it you want to create? It might be something simple and practical or it might be something elaborate, luxurious or a work of art. Your vision will determine the steps you need to take, how much effort you need to put in, the growing time, and the extra resources you might need to bring in to get there. Building a significant amount of wealth requires careful planning and the use of experts and other financial resources to get there.

As your garden grows, it is essential to keep it free of weeds and fertilised. Weeds can smother plants or stunt their growth. Plants which are not flourishing need to be pulled out and replaced. It’s no different with money and investments. Poor performing investments, debt and lack of attention will all detract from your ability to create wealth. Investments need to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they are delivering what you expect.

The old adage ‘you reap what you sow’ sums it all up.