PAYSAGES 7 GREENSCREEN
3D LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ǀ ARCHITECTURE ǀ INTERIOR DESIGN
CONTACT
FOLLOW US
Quebec ǀ Canada ǀ International
HOW TO CHOOSE PLANTS AND PLACE THEM IN THE RIGHT PLACE?
It is possible to diversify your garden with several varieties of plants. However, it is necessary to choose them nicely and place them in the right place.
To get harmony in your garden, plants should be grouped in clumps, by color spots, by height, and by flowering period. If you have several beds in your garden, repeat certain spots of color to remind and create unity.
Depending on the size of your garden, limit the varieties of plants to 3 to 5 different species for a small garden. Otherwise, you will get a pizza effect by wanting to put too many.
To ensure the development and survival of plants in your garden, you need to know the following:
-
the hardiness zone of your region,
-
the sunlight duration depending on the location of the beds in your garden,
-
the diameter at maturity of the plants for optimal spacing.
See the workshops offered in landscape garden coaching to find out more!
Hardiness Zone
Depending on the geographical area, a plant's hardiness corresponds to its ability to adapt to your region's climate and its tolerance to cold.
​
​Several conditions determine the hardiness zone: the minimum average temperature reached during the seasons, rainfall or snowfall, wind speed, and altitude.
Knowing your hardiness zone is essential for determining the plants you will plant in your garden. When you buy a plant from a nursery, there is usually a label showing the plant's hardiness zone, amount of sunlight, spacing, and watering needs.
Sunlight duration
For a plant to flourish in your garden, respect its sunlight needs!
​
If you buy a plant that requires full sun and places it in partial shade, it will not reach its full growth potential and will not live long.
The amount of sunlight in your garden determines the style of plants you can plant:
-
less than 3 hours of sunlight = shade plant
-
3 to 6 hours of sunlight = partial shade plant / partial sun plant
-
more than 6 hours of sunlight = full sun plant
Would you like to know more? Follow the landscape garden workshops.
Plant spacing
The diameter of the plants at maturity must be respected to allow them to develop harmoniously and ensure their survival.
​For a well-stocked planting bed, which will limit the growth of weeds, the spacing required is the diameter of the plant at maturity minus 15%.
The spacing of the plants is done according to the style you are looking for and the expected visual effect, and it must take into account the category of the plant (tree, shrub, on a stem, perennial, annual, grass...).
​When the plants are too far apart, it gives an empty, poor, and dull effect. If the plants are too tight, then the result becomes messy.
The planting plan step is essential to ensure adequate spacing, know the correct number of plants to buy, and place them in the right place.
Planting plan
After selecting your plants according to the hardiness zone, the sunlight, and their diameter at maturity, you can arrange them on a planting plan which will serve as a guide when buying and planting plants.
You have to place the plants to give a nice visual effect that is harmonious in shades, colors, and heights.
The planting plan is the most demanding step to perfect the harmony in your garden. You arrange the plants by color spots, create intervals between deciduous (Weigelia) and evergreen (Cedar) plants and play with the flowering periods, the foliage colors, or the twigs.
Even in winter, you can achieve a stunning visual effect by using evergreens or plants with brightly colored branches (Blood Dogwood)