Introduction to Garden Planning and Design

Week 5 – ‘At Last – Plants!’ Choosing and using plants in design

Learning objectives 1.1 Choices in soft landscaping - seasons of interest,

colour, texture, contrast. State advantages and disadvantages of ‘instant

gardening’ with mature plants State three uses of soft landscaping in design. Relate soft landscaping to the design principles

in Week 3 2. Selecting plants for seasonal interest 2.1 State types of plants for different seasons of interest

(including bulbs and corms; shrubs; herbaceous perennials and grasses). State three ways of establishing contrast in planting

2.3 Layering planting - plant groups as units in design 3. Finding out about plants - State three sources of information about plants State four factors that must be taken into consideration

when selecting plants for use in a given design.

Grid and theme drawings

Did you find using a grid to create shapes, rather than worrying about a garden design as such, useful?

What did you find most difficult? How could you have changed this to

make it easier? Why have you made the design

choices you have? Previously used, budget dictated etc?

Plants in design

Provide part of the design – adding colour, form, texture, volume. Can be used to create rhythm, symmetry and balance.

Thousands of ornamental plants – choose the effect required and then find the plants.

The effect changes with the seasons and the plants must suit the soil, aspect etc in the garden.

Design principles - reminder

Scale/proportion Balance Rhythm Line and shape Colour Texture Simplicity Styles?

Planting effects and styles

Plants in design are not considered individually.

Various planting styles – Mixed Border; Prairie; Drift or ‘River’; formal bedding; Cottage Garden.

Different groups of plants used in each style. Some styles lend themselves more easily to

formality, some to informality. Selecting combinations of plants that can be

repeated simplifies planting and can add to the unity of the design

Combination planting

Drift Planting

Layering planting Plants grow through and over each other and

are different heights. They also have decorative ‘high points’ at

different times. These features allow you to build contrast,

balance, rhythm and movement into your design and add height and vertical interest.

Layering starts by choosing ‘anchor’ plants that have structure and colour or interest all year round and have height.

Then to provide contrast add plants that grow to differing heights which contrast or tone in colour with each other and provide differing textures.

Seasonal planting

Plants change through the year – so this needs to be taken into account in the design.

Planting seasonally means you can have interest in your design all year round from the soft landscaping.

When choosing plants try to have some that flower or have interesting bark, shape or texture in each season of the year.

Types of plant for seasonal interest Winter – need not be a ‘dead’ season. Woody plants

often have coloured bark or good structure and texture. Evergreens provide a backdrop. Bulbs are a good choice – Snowdrops begin flowering in January. The dead stems of grasses and some perennials provide structure.

Spring – More bulbs, spring flowering perennials and shrubs, young growth on all plants.

Summer – herbaceous perennials and flowering climbers, roses, bedding – the choice is yours!

Autumn – later flowering perennials, trees and shrubs with good autumn colour, fruits and seedheads and the mature stems of ornamental grasses.

Finding out about plants What? Colour and season(s) of interest,

shape and texture. Mature height and spread. Soil and location preferences. Maintenance requirements

How? Books, the internet, garden visits, what grows well in the neighbourhood

Recording – in your notebook, photos (but sort and note these), on your layout plan (colour and shape etc only) The details go onto the planting plan.

Note combinations as well as individual plants.

Learning outcomes 1.1 Choices in soft landscaping - seasons of interest,

colour, texture, contrast. State advantages and disadvantages of

‘instant gardening’ with mature plants State three uses of soft landscaping in design. Relate soft landscaping to the design

principles in Week 3 2. Selecting plants for seasonal interest 2.1 State types of plants for different seasons of interest

(including bulbs and corms; shrubs; herbaceous perennials and grasses). State three ways of establishing contrast in planting

2.3 Layering planting - plant groups as units in design 3. Finding out about plants - State three sources of information about plants State four factors that must be taken into consideration

when selecting plants for use in a given design.