plants in design

1. Introduction to Garden
Planning and Design
Week 5 – ‘At Last – Plants!’ Choosing
and using plants in design

2. 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.

3. 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?

4. 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.

5. Design principles - reminder
 Scale/proportion
 Balance
 Rhythm
 Line and shape
 Colour
 Texture
 Simplicity
 Styles?

6. 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

7. Combination planting

8. Drift Planting

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.