Do you plan or plant and move?

16 years ago

I always have the best drawn plans on paper but when I get it planted and the plants fill in I am never happy. I always wind up moving plants around. (at the expense of losing some of my plants)

I was just wondering if anyone else has this same problem.

faye

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Comments (34)

lynnencfan
16 years ago
Mentally in my head I plan - then I plant and then I ultimately move - nothing gets very deep rooted in my gardens except maybe the shrubs - sometimes...... uuummmmm now that I think about - they get moved too eventually - lol......

Lynne
DYH
16 years ago
Yes to all. I plan. I can't find what I planned. I modify the plan. I find the substitutes for my plan. Then, I tweak it for various reasons -- color, not suited for the spot, don't like the plant, etc.

And during a drought, I wish it would all just go away and come back next spring. It's sad to see a nice garden so crispy. It did rain last night.

Cameron
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Nancy
16 years ago
I just find a spot & plop it now, then move it later. The first year I really gardened, growing much from seed, I planned using graph paper etc, but it seemed that my plants grew taller than I expected, a different shade that pictured in the catalogs, or didn't bloom at the same time as I what I wanted to pair it with. Now I just wait & see what it looks like & when it blooms etc. I would like to have a bed just to grow things out, but that doesn't seem to work out.
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
16 years ago
LOL, I use to plan, the general layout of the garden has stayed the same but here it ends. I'm afraid spots that look good and stay are happy accidents if I was to tell the truth some of my plants have built in roller skates and some of the plants that come home with me, stay for short visits in several spots in the garden, then, after making their way all the way around the garden off they go through the side gate where they pause for awhile awaiting our next garden club plant sale.

Annette
irene_dsc
16 years ago
Lol - sometimes I plan obsessively, and I always end up moving stuff around as I'm planting, and then later, too! I'm trying to get better about visualizing everything through the seasons, and of course, guessing how well things will do is another major factor in moving stuff, too. I rarely have time to run around to shop for plants, so I do most of my shopping online, which allows for lots of plan tinkering, but not enough true visuals. I need to find more convenient, affordable nurseries with huge selection...
cooperbailey
16 years ago
Yes. :) :) Sue
thinman
16 years ago
Hey, if I could plan, I woulda been an engineer. :-) I'm definitely a shop, plop, chop and swap kind of flower gardener.

ThinMan
DYH
16 years ago
My planning starts with my requirements:

is it deer-resistant
is it for my zone
is it for full sun
is it low-maintenance

okay -- what colors are available and will they work in my garden!
joydveenc7
16 years ago
Start with a multi-year plan, fall in love at the nursery with different plants than on my plan, have reseed volunteers that look nice where they come up, and move some of the things planted last year according to plan because they will look better in a new bed. When the seasons change I find gaps to fill and plan some more.
fayeraven
16 years ago
LOL. I'm glad to see lots of folks like me... I guess we all start with a plan. One is enough. If all plants lived up to their descriptions and/or markers we'd likely never have to move them. I planned my garden to be visible from my kitchen window. Many times I have a "move sketch" which then goes in my garden drawer. I occasionally take a picture, print it out on a large piece of paper, and mark it up! I wanted something blooming at all times, so it was move, move, buy, trade etc. Wouldn't we all get bored if the same garden came up in the same place every year??? The first year I planned my garden, I had all small shrubs across the back. The last one came out last week. They grow!!! plus I wanted more space on this sun side for expanding periennals, plus a little space in between for some new favorite annuals. When I want to "sweeze in" just one more plant, I put tomato cages around some of the larger periennals to keep them in bounds so the new one will fit. Have fun, tiptoeing and moving!
Faye in MD
Vikki1747
16 years ago
When I spot a plant I just must have I immediately begin planning where I will put it and ultimately move it to another location.

Seriously, often I have a plan in mind for a grouping of plants and I'll head out to the nursery. I always come home with way more than I planned to buy and then I must find a place for everything. I move my plants ALL THE TIME and rarely lose any. I think the most important thing to do when you move a plant is to water every day for at least a week.

Part of me wants to plan my garden but man-o-man thats a lot of work and the plant lover in me has no will power when it comes to pretty flowers and amazing foliage.
Vikki
remuda1
16 years ago
Ahhh, kindred souls! I always start with a plan......then when the number of plants that I have WAITING to be planted exceeds the number of plants that I actually have in the garden already......I start plunking out of desperation! All that matters at this point is that the plant, at it's present size, will FIT in the designated spot :)

Sometimes, things work out surprisingly well....other times, oh well Fall is just around the corner and we can make some adjustments, LOL!

Plunk On!!!

Kristi
fammsimm
16 years ago
I start with a rough plan, a very rough plan! But with having plants both under perform and over perform or just die outright, a more random scheme is what I end up with.

Which is actually ok with me. Gardening is such an inexact science with having to contend with freaky weather, insects, rodents and the above mentioned under/over performers that anything that thrives and makes me happy is a keeper!

Marilyn
moonphase
16 years ago
Some parts of my garden was planned the first yr.but as I have added wsd plants,some areas are almost laughable.I just let the plant grow for the seeds,then yank it out.I use my cottage garden and a holding bed to grow flowers in for the other gardens that are color coordinated.So pretty much anything goes the first season to see how it does,then it is either moved or yanked in the fall.That gives me room for the next batch of unknowns in the spring.I am slowly getting some beds that look very well working with this system.I have 2 beds that were planned and I am proud of those two.Every year now,I will plan 2 or 3 beds and use my stock plants from the cottage garden and holding bed.I do use some of garden gates plans.
moonphase
fnboyd
Original Author
16 years ago
I so glad I am not the only one who is constantly moving plants. I feel normal now.

thanks
cooperbailey
16 years ago
Fayeraven- a kindred gardener Ravens fan, by any chance?? Sue
DYH
16 years ago
Okay, I'm about to show you what's in my closet. :-)

Here was my original plan for the dining patio garden that I started in Fall 2006. We planted accordingly, then some plants (5 of 6 gardenias) didn't survive the harsh winter sun and then the post-Easter late frost. I have temporarily replaced with elephant ears, buddleia, monarda, brugmansia and heuchera until the trees mature to provide more shade.

{{gwi:741242}}
xantippe
16 years ago
Oh, Remuda:

"I always start with a plan......then when the number of plants that I have WAITING to be planted exceeds the number of plants that I actually have in the garden already......I start plunking out of desperation! All that matters at this point is that the plant, at it's present size, will FIT in the designated spot ."

That is absolutely me! I feel so much better hearing you say that you do this, too! I'm not the only one! Hurray!
todancewithwolves
16 years ago
I could never plan *lol* Thats' what I love about cottage gardening.

I've moved plants several times.

Edna
dirtdiggindiva
16 years ago
I'll have to have my hubby read this thread so that he'll see that it's not just me. LOL! He just can't understand why things are always moving.

When I start a new bed or even think of redoing an existing one I usually lay in bed at night planning things out in my head. Then I lay all my garden books out on the floor and spend days checking out specifics about different plants. Then I do rough sketches of the garden. Then I try to replicate the look with the real plants. Then I end up not liking what I've done and some things stay and some things go and others move and then I lay in bed and think of what I'm going to do with that bed.

This is what my MIL told me a real gardener was. It's part of the fun, just being in the garden and getting to know the ins and outs of your plants. Now excuse me, I must go read up on some plants going in my new bed.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
16 years ago
I really am a planner in most aspects of my life, especially gardening. I used graph paper to plan out the garden and when I wasn't able to start putting my plans into action, I just kept waiting and refining my plan. Then I put it away for a few years and finally, we were able to start renovating the yard 3 years ago, and I surprised myself that I stuck to the plan for where the beds and borders were going to go. It turned out very much like it was planned in structure.

BUT, despite trying to research every plant before I bought it, I still manage to either place them too close together, or they don't like the conditions I thought that I had, or the color combination doesn't work out because the combined plants bloom at different times..lol. Or the plant was chosen from a photo and the blossom was the wrong color.

I do a lot of moving and since my family end up actually doing the moving, I really feel bad about it. I wish I was better at placing my plants, for sure, but getting it right ends up being much more complicated than I thought it was.

I enjoy every one of my plants, but most of the time, I am not happy with the overall effect and can't seem to achieve what I hope to. I keep trying though. One of these seasons, I am going to be just thrilled with something but I bet it will be something I didn't do on purpose. :-)

pm2
lindakimy
16 years ago
Well, I try to plan. (Wonbyherwits, that is beautiful! Does it have anything to do with what happened?)

But then celosia ends up 5 feet tall. And cosmos go insane. And some plants just don't do anything (sunflowers). At some point you find yourself moving things. And that may work or not. I think I killed a couple of May Night salvias. Whoops. Shouldn't have done that.

But sometimes you just have to move things around. I don't remember ever doing it before. Somehow, things just got planted and stayed there. Maybe my climate wasn't so weird. Or maybe I wasn't growing the variety of plants that I am now. I think that may be it. Who knew about some of these things??? Not me.
MollyDog
16 years ago
I am a mover...even when I have planned, I ended up being a mover...I guess I am not happy unless I am digging.
lavendrfem
16 years ago
I really do try to plan. But like someone said above, either the flower is a shade I didn't expect, or it grows to a different height. I'm a fairly new gardener, so I'm finding things out as I go. I spend all winter planning...I make charts that I can refer to in the wintertime...and I always end up moving things. This year I tried something different. I took annual seeds and just scattered them in beds in front of my house and whatever bloomed, bloomed. But I'm ending up with four foot high cosmos all over...and sometimes in front of plants that are shorter...so I'm moving those too. They're pretty tough plants!
angelcub
16 years ago
A little of both. Most of the planning is in researching and knowing before hand what will grow in my clime, but if I fall in love with something you can bet I'll take a chance on it. A planting plan is mostly mental and as others have said, gets revised when needed. Like when the hollyhocks grow up through the spruce trees - pretty at first but then messy.

Overall, things are pretty much done with serendipity in mind. It's a cottage garden, afterall, not a landscaper's dream! Nuf said! : )

Diana
terrene
16 years ago
It is nice to read this thread and realize I'm not the only one who moves stuff around a lot!

I have mixed borders of perennials, annuals, and grasses that have kind of a backbone of a few shrubs and small trees. The shrubbery is very carefully placed for spacing, sunlight, privacy, and wind-screen. I usually plan for a long time what I'm going to plant and where to put them because they just seem more permanent. Even then I end up moving stuff!! This past spring I decided the Miss Kim lilac needed to move six feet over and that I was digging out a 45 year old Burning Bush and replacing it with a Serviceberry, etc.

As for perennials and grasses, they usually get planted somewhere but then I'll end up moving them around based on how they grow. Then some get too big and need to be divided and then you have to decide where divisions are going. I've already got lots of trasplanting planned for next Spring. :)

PS to Wonbyhermits, that is a lovely plan - does it work well (well, aside from the poor Gardenias)?
DYH
16 years ago
Terrene -- I LOVE your typo of my moniker Won By Her Wits to be Won By Hermits! LOL When I stop laughing I'll come back and answer. I'm crying too much to see!

Cameron
msmisk
16 years ago
I usually start with kind of a plan in my head that changes even as I'm initially planting. Then after the plants grow a bit, I do even more moving and editing. Like one of my newer beds that has too many roses - all look alike and all the same foliage. I'm taking two out and replacing one with tall red cannas and the other with dwarf maiden grass. That adds more foliage variety and lets the remaining roses shine.

Carol
tweedbunny
16 years ago
Haha!
My yard is stufffed!

I currently have 1 bridal wreath, 1 white hawthorn, and 2 climbing Josephs Coat rosebushes sitting it pots on my back patio because there is no where to plant them but they were SUCH a good deal. :D

Someone help me, Im addicted.
terrene
16 years ago
Oh dear - Won by her wits - I didn't notice that. So sorry. Anyway, I love your plan. At most I do a rough sketch, and don't really even stick to that. Everything seems to end up moving within a couple years anyway! :)
kitchenkelly
16 years ago
I'm a mover. I plan and research like crazy and still move. This weekend I even moved a tree after three different kinds for a spot. First I bought two serviceberries and planted them (last weekend.) Then this weekend I bought two treeform hydrangeas for another spot. I decided they wouldn't look good in the spot so I went out and bought a birch. I decided the birch would get too big so I moved one of the serviceberries and put the birch in the hole where the serviceberry was. I'm tired.
pagan
16 years ago
I planned orginally for a low-maintenance landscape of monkey grass with a few blooming shrubs. So I killed all my grass in the lawn and started plunking things in - that was when I thought 'drought-tolerant' meant 'don't bother to water, ever!' and that 'low-care' meant 'no-care'! After killing many plants and shrubs, I came up with a plan... then another one, then another. Then I got into research and reading and really thinking about what I want vs. what I can handle... in my head, it looks glorious, but in reality, it still has a way to go. There IS a method to my madness, as I tell my neighbors when they shake their heads and offer to mow the wilderness that is the garden... it just will take a bit more tweaking before they see the plan come together! Sort of like a cake - right now I have most of the ingredients spread out all over - hoping to slide the pan in the oven this fall and remove a gardencake come spring!!
DYH
16 years ago
We've decided that while our new outer deer-resistant garden is a success, we want additional privacy on the front of the house (we're in the middle of 4.5 acres, but the road is elevated up a bit from the house). So, I'm going to move two cryptomeria 'globosa nana' round shrubs to pots for the porch. I'm going to move two hypericum to fill in with more mass with their counterparts. In the place of these, we're going to plant buddleia to give us 10' height. On the outside front of our fence, we're going to replace 3 carrissa holly shrubs with crepe myrtle trees like the ones we already have along the sidewalk.

Moving the plants doesn't bother us. You do something, live with it for awhile and then adjust. However, I could never have just gone out and bought successful plants without at least a rough sketch of a plan.

Cameron
rosefolly
16 years ago
Both. Endlessly. It's fun, isn't it?

Rosefolly

Do you plan or plant and move?

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