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A planting plan makes all the difference

 

garden plan-168It is very easy to overplant. I do it all the time. There is good reason for the way landscape architects lay out their plans and it is possible to do a simple version when planning a garden yourself.

Thanks to Google, finding the ultimate size of a tree is easy and most garden guides indicate a suggested growing size. Naturally soil type, exposure to wind and other conditions can impact on the basic size of the tree but there are parameters to work within. 

On a sheet of paper draw an outline of the area to scale. Keep the scale simple. It will also be used for the sizes of the plants within the outline measure off the garden space. Once this has been established the area for planting is quite obvious. There may be plants already established in the area and this is the time to measure their position and place them on the drawing, making an outline of the area they are using.

The next thing to do is work out the plants that that are going to be put in the area. Using a compass draw a circle of the ultimate size of the plants, label them and cut them out. These circles can then be placed on the planting plan.

Some plants may need to be isolated. Citrus and fruit trees need some area around them for access to the fruit and for mowing 
Plants used as borders can overlap the edges of the circles a little bit. When the plants are planted there will be good sized spaces in between which will require mulching but in no time at all the plans will start closing the gaps.

For the first couple of years annuals can be planted for colour and to fill in the gaps.

Consider some of the following when choosing plants:

1. Do you love this plant? Plants have been proven to respond to stimuli and if it is a plant that you greatly admire naturally it will do well because of the attention it gets.
2. Does this plant do well in this location? Look around at other gardens. This is the best way of choosing plants that will flourish.
3. Does this plant like this soil type? Plant acid loving plants together and plants that like alkalinity together. Additives [see last week’s column] can be applied to adjust a plant’s requirements. Compost also helps here.
4. Select attractive colour combinations.
5. Select contrasting leaves. The large subtropical look of pseudopanax Cyril Watson contrasts well with a smaller leaf of one of the coprosmas if you are going for a group of natives.
6. Keep the taller plants to the back; obvious I know, but can be overlooked at the beginning when they are all the same size.

Once the little circles are labelled and are in their positions, carefully considering all the above, stick them down and you have your very own planting plan. It’s great fun to do and soon with confidence you’ll find yourself automatically stepping out the plants. A good size step is usually about a metre. 

I am having a great time with the new area I have in front of my house at the beach. I suspect a bit of overplanting is happening but taking into account the west wind and the sand maybe none of them will reach their recommended adult size.


A simple scale plan like this example found online will help visualise your space and planting.

 
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