A few weeks ago a well thought out Tip of the Week was published on planning your plantings. I want to take you into a little more detail on designing your plantings.
Think in odd quantities of plants - in threes, fives, etc., rather than even numbers - for small groupings or moderately wide borders. By planting this way you will eliminate open spaces when viewing straight on.
This method can also be used for larger mass plantings. For larger plantings, try to avoid squares or rectangles. True circles are fine in formal arrangements, but consider ovals, kidney, squash or teardrop shapes for a less formal setting. These irregular shapes will allow your eye to focus on the larger area of each bed first. Then your eye will follow along the narrower section, gently moving to the nearest irregular shape.
When planting with these shapes, you will quickly see how well they nest with each other. And finally, you can help "lead the eye" gently along your beds and borders by avoiding alternating plant colors! Happy gardening.
Jim Martin, Smith County Master Gardener
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