Working with existing planting plans

Working with Existing Planting Plans

Now we're going to look at redesigning an existing border around the plants that are already there, using examples of how we extended the Nuttery and rejuvenated a bed in the Herb Garden.

Extending the Nuttery

I'm using the same principles as when we were designing the Purple Border from scratch:

• orientation – where's north? Where's the sun?
• lists – perennials (these can be subdivided, for instance, by distinguishing late- or long-flowering perennials and groundcover plants), ferns, annuals/biennials.
• scale – I'm using 1:100 for this large, less detailed scheme, whereas we used 1:25 for the more detailed planting in Purple Border.
• plants at different densities depending on their ultimate size.
• groups of plants repeated through the planting scheme.

Process:

1. The trees and shrubs are already there – the nut trees.
2. Place key perennials first – ferns and grasses – as if they are the shrubby element.
3. Work in the other perennials around them.
4. We digitised the plan; the software then worked out numbers of plants needed rather than us having to count.

A Bed in the Herb Garden

We plotted this bed and the plants already in it. We used Vectorworks to put the plan into digital format, which is very useful.

• The plan can be saved, edited, layers added and taken away like the tracing paper overlays.
• We have a propagation layer to tell me what I need to propagate each year and historic layers to show how beds looked in certain periods.

You can just hand-draw your plan. I always start with a hand-drawn plan.

• You then need to overlay with tracing paper to add layers.
• Trees/shrubs and perennials are on there, but annuals, biennials and bulbs are overlaid.
• Woody elements can be made more obvious with a heavy outline and shading.
• Build up a repertoire of symbols for different types of plant on your list – this means you can quickly pick out where e.g. the roses are.

Editing Planting Plans

I take the plan out into the garden every week and look at what's died or changed.

• Use two coloured pens – one for plants you want to add, the other for plants you want to edit out.
• Cross out, write, remove or circle in the colour that means 'remove'.
• Use the other colour to write in what you want to put there instead, if you know.
• Building up a sequence of edits over the course of the season gives me a list of actions to take in September-October, like lifting, dividing, removing, plant sourcing.
• You can use a notebook to write these down or take photos, but I find it helps to work from plans because you're putting things in exactly the right place.
• For me, it's an easy way for me to capture the information to pass on for someone else to act on it.

The Creative Joy of Planting Plans

Planting plans are a crucial part of design or redesign, but also so enjoyable.

• I find it a great creative outlet – painting with imaginary flowers I'm going to plant later in the season.
• It is a bit daunting at first, but you build up confidence by doing. If you don't have a border that needs redoing, make an imaginary one up in the assignment below. Practicing will prepare you for when you need to design a real border confidently and successfully.

Gardening is a practical, physical activity, but there's also a great creativity that comes from this kind of work too. Give it a go – it's so much fun to do.

Assignment

Using your plant lists from the assignment in lesson 'Creating a planting plan from scratch part 1: Layering the planting' and following the process you have learned over the last few lessons, now have a go on separate paper at drawing planting plans for three imaginary 3m x 8m borders:

1. a border for a shady situation
2. for a sunny situation
3. for someone who wants a low-maintenance garden.

Plant Directory

Allium moly

Yellow garlic

Hardy bulbous perennial

Amaryllidaceae

Argyranthemum

Marguerite

Tender evergreen woody-based perennials or subshrubs

Asteraceae

Caryopteris species and cultivars

Bluebeards

Mostly hardy deciduous shrubs or perennials

Lamiaceae

Geranium species and cultivars

Hardy geraniums, cranesbills

Hardy herbaceous perennials

Geraniaceae

Kniphofia species and cultivars

Red-hot pokers

Hardy evergreen or herbaceous perennials

Asphodelaceae

Luzula nivea

Snow rush

Hardy evergreen perennial

Juncaceae

Podophyllum peltatum

May apple

Hardy herbaceous perennial

Berberidaceae

Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula'

Weeping willow-leaved pear

Hardy deciduous small tree

Rosaceae

Lupinus species and cultivars

Lupins

Hardy or half-hardy annuals, short-lived perennials or herbaceous perennials

Fabaceae

Rosa species and cultivars

Roses

Hardy deciduous shrubs or climbers

Rosaceae

Taxus baccata

Common yew, English yew

Hardy evergreen tree

Taxaceae

Glossary

Propagation

The process of creating new plants, most commonly from seeds or cuttings, but also through other techniques such as division, grafting or layering.

Topiary

Shrubs or trees that have been trained or clipped into ornamental shapes.

Vectorworks

3D modelling and design software used in landscaping, architecture, engineering and more.