Like dabs of paint and brush strokes in a painting, individual plants and their placement are what creates a garden or yard. It’s easy to walk into a nursery or garden store and become overwhelmed by the wide selection of plants, tools, soil choices, gardening tips, and helpful accessories. With so many choices how is it possible to comprise plant schemes with ease? This class will give an overview of the first steps to take in creating your perfect plant palette. You  will discuss the basic design features of plants and how to use them in combination to make your available garden space into the retreat you wish it to be. Topics will include using plant forms to define outdoor rooms, using leaves and/or bark as a prominent feature of the garden, and using flowers and fruits to accent the garden. You’ll talk about color theory and the use of texture to create a balanced composition in the landscape.  This course, sponsored by Brookline Adult Education, will be held on Thursday, February 4, beginning at 7 pm, at Brookline High School.  The fee is $28, and you may register on-line at www.brooklineadulted.org, or by phone at 617-730-2700.  The instructor, Kimberly Turner, is a principal of KDTurner Design, a landscape architecture firm in Newton.  She has a background in both horticulture and landscape architecture and is the author of the soon to be published book Botany For Designers.