Creating a planting plan

Creating a Planting Plan

Next, create a planting plan using all the information on the site conditions, your zone design, and your mood board.

Take note...

• As a rule of thumb, select up to 15 plants for each zone.
• You should try to incorporate bulbs for seasonal interest.
• Plan for plants with good ground cover to protect the soil.
• Emerging plants will bring enjoyment throughout the year.
• Include strong structures and evergreens that you can admire in the winter.

Look at the existing plants that you'll be keeping as part of your design, as they'll set the tone and you'll need to work with them.

Next, consider any new trees that you want to plant. These will be a dominant layer of your design and often set the parameters of a zone. Climbers are also part of this layer, and provide year-round tall structure within the garden.

Finally, think about the understory. It's important to assess the conditions that have already been created by your higher level of planting. This may be the place for the plants on your list that enjoy the shade.

After the trees and shrubs, turn your attention to planting beds. Here you can really play around with colour to create different moods. Each bed should have its own detailed planting plan that describes each layer and the quantities required. Take seasonality into account when layered your beds.

Layers of Planting

01 Trees and Shrubs

Top layer. Evergreen trees and shrubs offer shade. Deciduous trees and shrubs will blossom seasonally and provide colour. Multi-stemmed varieties give an informal look. Standards offer a slightly more formal aesthetic.

02 Climbers

Evergreen climbers are good for cladding a wall permanently. Deciduous climbers offer seasonal flux.

03 Perennials

Evergreen and deciduous varieties. There are three types of perennials: emergents, mid layers and ground covers. Emergents provide you with an accent. Mid layers sustain your interest. Evergreen ground covers protect the soil all year round.

04 Annuals

Will come up in between perennials for seasonal interest, particularly when a garden is young.

05 Bulbs

Bottom layer that flowers early in the spring. Use between perennials and around trees and shrubs.

Do the Background Thinking First

• Putting a plan together is much easier if you've done the background thinking.
• Working out the tone for your garden, as well as deciding what will work where, is the groundwork for a planting plan.
• Going through the system of your planting plan is really important in terms of sequencing.

Plant Directory

White Judas tree

Box Hedge

Walnut tree

Plum tree

Apple tree

Nut tree

Amelanchier

White Wisteria

Witch Hazel tree

Rosa Moyesii

Beech tree

Yew tree

Magnolia tree

Katsura tree

Black Mulberry tree

Quince tree

White Wisteria

Witch Hazel tree

Persicaria

Sarcococca

Hellebores

Hedera

Clematis

Eschscholzia

Lily

Your Assignment

Divide your planting list into the layers below, and begin to put together your own planting plan.

Trees and shrubs

Climbers

Perennials

Annuals

Bulbs