woodyoak: I guess with your latest description, my garden is somewhere in-between landscaped and polkadot! Rather than concern myself with colour I tend to design my gardens to have two attributes: 1) The heights of the plants are all ascending so that plants in front are shorter than plants behind (a very common practice I am sure), 2: I have plants that bloom in spring, others in summer, and others in fall, that are all in the same locations (wherever I can) [again fairly common I am sure]. I also tend to only place one plant in any given spot (unless they come in sets of 3, or 5, or more) but rather I tend to buy many different varieties.

I too keep several different plans, logs, guides, to-do lists, etc. where I keep track of where everything is, what is working, and what needs to be changed. For example, I have several Echinacea purpurea around my garden which are not doing very well so I am going to move them this spring to where they will get more sun and not have to complete with more vigorous plants. Here is my garden plan.

(Sorry everyone - the image is too small to read but it gives you an idea of my planning.)

I have posted a lot of my photographs on different threads in this forum but I don't have any place on the Internet dedicated to them.

If I had acres and acres, I'd drift plant. As it is, I think it's marketing hype to drift plant (buy in bulk!). Or maybe I just tell myself that as justification to have a billion different types of plants, more likely!!!!

Bruce - other than the picture you posted on this thread, I’m having no luck finding others (grrr Houzz) so I’ll have to pay more attention in the future...:-). You’re in gardening paradise out there :-).

woodyoak: here are some other houzz threads with hundreds of photographs including plenty of mine.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5574343/your-best-pics-of-2018#n=172

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5580897/my-first-purchases-of-2019#n=54

Enjoy!

Thank you B Maggic! I have found most of the threads here to be a lot of fun to engage in. I am always amazed by the wide range of ideas and things that people have been willing to try and then discuss. I have been able to use some of them in my own gardens. And I love the photographs - especially in the middle of winter!!

Pretty much anyone who raises plants from seed - whether crops or any form of ornamental, is on board with multiples but it's fair to say I only ever buy a ready-grown plant in singular form. However, I have no real rules or principles other than budget based...and have several areas to plant experimentally. This seems to work OK for me...and has also kicked me out of my habitual sloth since I am back at the lower end of yet another slippery learning curve. May well take another decade or so before I have a particular style and philosophy I am comfortable with...but totally expect any of my gardens to still be in much the same state of temporary transition between various whims and crazes.

Ah, thinking about the differences between landscaping and gardening, I think there are some interesting points. I worked as a landscaper...especially building the hard landscaping which gives an area a state of permanence and defines a style. And, I think, works best with at least a smidgeon of repetition, larger groupings, blocks of colour, texture and so on. However, I don't have any such hard landscaping at either my allotment or woods - even paths are only the most rudimentary suggestions. I have not really got beyond basic raised vegetable beds and only the vaguest attempt at anything other than survival in the woods. But whilst a combination of idleness and poverty means zero hope of any formally (or even informally) designed space, I was always fond of stating 'less is more' to my customers...whilst fervently believing 'more is better' for myself.

I thought I would mention an interesting book I’m currently reading that is correlating to a lot of the words of wisdom posted here. It’s called ‘Digging Deep’ by Fran Sorin.
Basically it’s about cultivating your own style of garden and uncovering your creativity (not necessarily through artistic means but more a broad sense of problem solving). Has anyone read it? Your take-away?

Campanula you may find you can quite successfully frame spaces with plants, especially trees, shrubs, and tall grasses. Just the removal of vegetation, like mowing a path, can have a huge impact. In a garden I like the subtle suggestion of a mown path much more than man made hills, pavement and walls.

I have planted multiples of just about everything, because I have a lot of space, and a lot of weeds. If I can get my space littered with plants I planted, have them raining down desirable seeds, and filling the soil with the creeping rhizomes of things I chose, I will consider it a win. Bonus if the plants are adapted to my conditions and dont need any additional water or ammendments from me. I planted a long rough line of grasses in the beds in front of my house, the thought is to have it accented by singular flowers and competing drifts. Every niche in time, space, root zone, and longevity is to be filled.

B Maggic I havent read the book but I like that concept. My gardening interest arose from problem solving and landscaping needs, and has now grown into something much more.

I have to post quickly, and have just skimmed previous threads. In between all of my "chores" I've been wanting to say that while I think I am safest gardening in drifts (as you can see in my pix in other threads), there are some amazing one-species compositions of shade gardening that just astound me. The multiple foliage shapes combined with shades of green make for amazing tapestries without an emphasis on repetition. I haven't figured out how to do it yet, but it is one of my goals. They are just beautiful! First photo is from A Way to Garden, second is from Kerry Ann Mendez (but not visible from her site)

B Maggic, thanks for the book suggestion! I found it on Kindle, and am already halfway through it, and actually highlighting quotes, which I rarely do. I have been so frustrated by how long my yard transformation to garden is taking, and the author really brings home the idea of gardening as a creative process. Thank you!

On the topic of the thread, drifts vs. specimens is definitely an area of confusion for this novice. I plant in threes or more because it was one of the first pieces of garden advice I read. But I plant close, because I want a cottage garden style. So then my three plants grow into each other and just look like one big plant anyway, so it looks like a specimen garden planted by the jolly green giant. I think my love of catmint and coneflowers are starting to slowly create the right effect as they are now large multi-plant clumps... but they repeat all over the garden. Still, it's hard to do four season interest AND succession planting AND varied foliage types AND drifts... you get the idea.

This is a very interesting thread! I think my garden beds are both. On one hand, I have a lot of conifers, most are specimen, then I have groupings of structural plants like Goldmound spireas (which I love!), and finally I have drifts of perennials such as sedum Angelina and Firecracker, to bring all of this together. I also have repetition of fool-proof plants such as aforementioned Goldmound spireas, geranium Rozanne, hydrangeas and salvias in all my borders. I’ve moved most of my plants twice over the past 5 years, looking for balance, and something that I find visually pleasing. I’ve achieved it with 3 garden beds, but one (front yard) needs a redo. I’ll be playing musical chair with my plants again this Spring...and I’m REALLY looking forward to it! Here’s a picture of what I’m happy with:

Thanks for the book suggestion B. Maggic!

Actually, these are the kinds of prairie drifts I had in mind!

Jay your drifts are wonderful but very hard to do in my 0.027 acres!

I don't have much room for that many plants either Bruce. The best I can do is a small piece of a prairie lol.

I'd question the necessity of the 'vs.' in the OP. I think that is too stark a distinction. There's a place for both in my view. And in a very small space, like mine, or like the courtyard in deannatoby's pictures, a 'drift' could be a single plant. It's a question of relative scale. There's also the possibility of using different species to the same effect, such as the yellow effects in the courtyard. There are apparent visual 'drifts' but they are made up of different plants.

I am with floral on this. To my mind, it is repetition of some kind that counts. Repetition of color or shape or texture or some combination, and it can be related specimens or drifts or both. So to use mazerolm’s bed as an example, she has several taller than wide fine-textured green conifers and also blue conifers repeating down the bed. There are clumps of several plants each of chartreuse foliage which though not the same kind of plant, relate through color and height. The pink flowered clumps of sedum are another repeating pattern, and IIRC from her other postings, there is also a repetition of pink, low flowers throughout the season, with creeping phlox and Dianthus. In deannatoby’s examples, each has a thread of chartreuse that runs up through the garden, and the second also has silvery-red foliage.

So I guess the size of the drift of a bunch of the exact same type of plants matters and what suits something on the massive scale of a space like the Lurie Garden in Chicago or the meadows Jay posted or even my ungardened back field, may not be realistic in a more typical yard maintained by a homeowner because of space considerations and the wish for contrast and variety that most of us also enjoy.

(I have nothing to do with this drift of 4 kinds of grasses other than periodic mowing.)

But I do sort of manage the patterns and colors that repeat down this quite large bed. I often don’t buy multiples, but start with one plant to see how it does for me and then divide or allow reseeding or occasionally buy more of a plant to create enough mass to be noticeable by the commuters passing by. But if I had a typical suburban yard, there likely wouldn’t be space.

That's beautiful, a drift of one plant, just sounds beautiful. I think I have enough room to do a few small areas with drifts of prairie plants. For that I plan on using multiples of each species. Everything is experimental. A bunch of new species to try out in a new way from what I've done before. 2 gardening areas. The garden at the old place that is tiny, crowded and sunny, and the new yard with several different areas that's mostly part shade or full shade thanks to several ancient oaks, a cottonwood, a spruce, an ash. So I'm growing a huge amount of species so I can create native plant communities that all include everything they need to stay healthy. From the ground hugging plants all the way up to the tallest ones. It's all for the benefit to the wildlife. I will probably be planting the hell strip too since it gets the best sunlight here. The part shade plantings are exciting to plan, so many possabilities with the plethora of native plants. Lots of umbrells will be happening. The Asclepias and the Apiaceae, umbrells for days! I might just stick a few tropical African milkweeds in with the natives because I try to grow all the species the Monarch caterpillars love like a nice Calotropis procera or Gomphocarpus cancellatus. After this garden experiment yields the answers I need, I'll still need to do a lot of fine tuning which could end up taking years well maybe half the fun is in the journey I don't know but it sure seems like we always have laughs talking about that lol! Overboard with a capital O and back again! Now in a state of blessed entitledness lol!!!

B Maggic: Thanks for your kind words! I’ll post more pictures in Spring, because this is what it looks like now! :)

Those things? It looks like they have faces, are they yellow garden gnomes? Can't be fire hydrants lol!

Hahaha! No Jay, they’re arborvitaes wrapped with burlap to prevent dessiccation since it’s their first winter here. Next winter, they‘re on their own!

Good idea, wrapping them. I'm not seeing gnomes everywhere really lol!

NHBabs, I don't think I remember seeing those pictures before, and I think they are beautiful. I hadn't noticed the thread of silver/red in my second photo, but I see it now. Extremely helpful! You've been a big help in your past by emphasizing repetition, so thanks for pointing it out again.

I’ve been thinking about this discussion. I think I probably have more repeating blocks of plants than drifts. Or would they technically be considered the same?

A "block" of plants IS a drift....... :-)

I was thinking maybe block=square/circle and drift=linear...?

A drift, as I understand it, is a grouping. Planting in groups of 3's per the Gardening Gods' ageless advice is also a drift, I believe (but please correct me if I'm wrong). You can have larger drifts, but a drift is a grouping. I must say that I personally think anything less than three is not a drift. Gardening is one area where the "third wheel" completes the picture, in my mind.

I love what Piet Oudolf and other prairie-minded people are doing with their drifts. They plant drifts of several species (one species per drift), and then as the plants seed and spread by rhizomes the drifts gets intermingled, just like a real prairie. They plants the groups and let nature in time do the intermingling. Really lovely!

Above, floral and NHBabs talked about one species being a drift. I think they're right, too, but I think what they see takes more skill. I know I like those individual plant tapestries in my post higher up, but floral and NHBabs can see the "drift" in plants where I can't because they can see a theme in the plants, or, as floral said, it's the scale. NHBabs talks about creating a drift with a theme like color (drift of chartreuse plants, for example), etc. A grouping is still creating, but it ties together somehow in color or leaf-shape or something.

And, I could be totally wrong. But, I'm ready to be corrected and learn!

"block=square/circle and drift=linear"

Neither :-) Drifts/blocks of plants should not have a defined outline.....so never precisely linear nor in a geometeric shape. I think "irregular cluster" might be a better way of putting it. And always 3 or more, usually in an uneven quantity, however once you hit 5 or more, the uneven quantity requirement tends to lose its effectiveness.

I "liked" several comments but really should've just "liked" ALL of them..so many well expressed thoughts about arranging plants and designing gardens..unless you're in a new neighborhood with blank slate cookie cutter lots and can start from scratch you have to work with your property..I have a wooded half acre with very little open ground..my end result could be described as drifts with a specimen within the drift! Lol..easy decisions here..where's a spot without a tree?..I love everyone's pics..I love all well tended gardens..my woodland garden has less color than most of yours but I love it..I'm satisfying my color cravings with pots of annuals and tropicals..started buying and planning last summer and have a good jump on it now..I think I'm more excited for spring to come this year than any other year in my life..

I love these discussions because like most people, I know what I find beautiful/attractive, but to create something beautiful is for me a journey of trials and errors. I have to move my plants many times in order to create something that I like. It’s a good thing I enjoy gardening work!! :) Reading other people‘s posts helps me figure out why something looks good. It really is very helpful!

Babs I don't think I've ever seen the view along the street. It looks great! Love the field as well, someday I hope to have more space.

I love drifts....but I love having a wide, I mean REALLY wide variety of plants. It's hard to do both in limited space. I just can't say no to an interesting specimen....EVER!

BMaggic..I went to the library yesterday for Digging Deep..I've read just a little bit..I like it!..anxious to read more..

I found a few areas that I somewhat consider a ‘drift’. Although I’ve always thought of a drift as much larger....Would you agree?

While some have filled out more, others I’ve thinned out...

nicholsworth ~ if your acreage is wooded with deciduous trees, you can always plant daffodils and other bulbs there.... =)

GardenHo..beautiful pics!..I would say yes that you have drifts..multiples of the same plant planted in wavy lines is a drift (in my opinion)..

roxana..thanks for the suggestion..I do have daffodils and crocuses but I've always wanted more..it's a bad timing thing..I'd see the bulbs for sale but would decide no because I had millions of leaves to rake and chip (we compost)..I did buy the last bag of crocus at Meijer last year!..I planted them so I'll see them from my kitchen window..can't wait!

I think of drifts as roughly tear drop shaped, which when arranged in generally linear way evoke wind blowing. They are elements of a dynamic but smooth pattern. Yes they are color blocks, but not all blocks are drifts..if you get my drift:)

kitasei..so one end gets thinner and fades away?..I was just trying to say to me a drift doesn't have straight edges..not squares or rectangles..not planted in rows..do you get my drift? haha..

@GardenHo: I’m in awe of your picture of coreopsis and veronicas!

Nicholsworth thank you. The phlox appear to be in a straight line. It must just be the angle of the shot. They have since been thinned out.

Maz thank you! I wish I had a better pic of the whole bed, as there are many more. That area took a hit last winter..losing many coreopsis :( which I replaced. I fear a repeat with this crazy winter we are having!

The Veronica above (in August) is actually their second bloom. Here is a partial pic of their first bloom (in June) before the coreopsis fill in....

@GardenHo: When I was looking to add purple flowers, I picked salvias over veronicas...looking at your pictures, I think maybe I picked the wrong one! Yours are gorgeous!!

Maz thanks, but imo you can’t go wrong with either... I love both! :)

Curious...Which salvias did you get?

I think I have 7-8 varieties of salvias! Bumbleberry, Bumblesky, Caramia, Caradonna, Sensation Deep Pink, Midnight Model and Sensation Sky Blue.

Oh wow!! Many I’ve never heard of! Would love to see pics :)

I have May night, Caradonna, crystal blue and one other I can’t recall the name of. Love the flowers..hate the smell lol!

I have 5 diff Veronica’s, one of which I hope finally blooms this year...red fox. It’s said to bloom it’s first year, but not for me...

@GardenHo: last year was their first year in my garden, so I don’t have nice pictures to share. But I will post pics at the end of this summer!

Oh good..cant wait to see them! Sounds like a nice variety :)

OT, perhaps, but I just spent a long time studying the picture of NHbabs' border to try to understand why I found its undulating curve so appealing when that other rule of borders says that they should be sweeping. Is it because the plants themselves create the irregularity? Is it because the line of the road provides the smooth sweep and border the lapping waves? I don't know, but it's upsetting my assumptions!

With the exception of the one sweep outward midborder but near the far end of the photo where there used to be a large bush that the voles ate, the border is dead straight on the near end. Any undulations come from the plants themselves. I am not a fan of unneeded wobbles. I will see if I can find another photo.