The seven principles of plant selection
I am going to introduce to you to a fantastic tool that will help to ensure that the plants you place in your garden thrive!
This is a very well known and respected garden design theory called the 7 principles of plant selection. It is essentially a checklist of things to consider when choosing plants for your garden.
It is much better to choose plants that will grow well in your garden, than to try and adapt your garden to meet the needs of plants.
1 - Light
Plant light requirements can be categorised into 3 types.
Full sun - at least six hours of sunlight a day
Part shade - three to six hours of sunlight a day
Full shade - can cope with less three hours sunlight a day
Establish how much sunlight each area of your garden receives, then choose a plant that will grow well in those conditions.
2 - Soil and moisture
Plants require different levels of moisture and soil types.
Moisture levels:
Poorly drained soil - these plants like boggy or wet soil.
Drought tolerant - these plants can cope with free draining sandy soil where little moisture is retained.
Soil PH:
Neutral soil - this is in the middle and suitable for most plants.
Acidic soil - some plants require more acidic soil to grow e.g Rhododendron spp.
3 - Hardiness
The world is split into Hardiness zones, these detail how low the temperature can fall in specific areas. The most common resource is the USDA plant hardiness zones table.
First establish the hardiness zone of the site, then choose planting that can survive in those temperature conditions.
4 - Height and spread
Height
Always check the mature height of a plant to ensure that it has adequate room to grow, i.e. do not plant a tall tree under telephone wires.
Height is also important to ensure that a plant remains in proportion to its surroundings, even when it reaches maturity.
Spread
The same rule applies with the mature spread of a plant. Ensure that borders have enough space for a plant’s mature spread, to prevent borders becoming tightly packed, resulting in unhealthy and unappealing, unbalanced looking borders.
5 - Type of plant
Plants are categoried by type, based on similar characteristics.
Annuals - goes through plant life cycle within 12 months
Perennials - plant life cycle last at least two years
Bulbs - stores its food in an underground stem
Herbs - used in food or cooking
Ferns - they do not flower or contain pollen
Ornamental Grasses - create interest, texture and sound in the wind
Deciduous trees - single stem, lose their leaves in the winter
Broadleaf evergreens trees - single stem, keep their leaves all year
Conifer trees - will keep most of their needles throughout the year
Deciduous shrubs - multiple stems, lose their leaves in the winter
Evergreen shrubs - multiple stems, keep their leaves in the winter
Roses - type of flowering shrub
6 - Interest
Plants can provide interest with the following characteristics:
Foliage - Shape and texture of leaves, variegated foliage.
Flowers - Long flowering periods, colour of flowers, use of blooms in cut flowers
Fragrance - chosen for their appealing fragrance
Fruits and seeds - colourful berries for interest, or edible fruits to be used in cooking
7 - Care
Plants require different levels of care. It’s important to know how much time is available to keep a garden looking well maintained.
Annuals - easy to grow, compost at the end of their flowing period.
Perennials - minimal care, flowers for many years. Some need dividing in spring or having fertiliser applied.
Bulbs - once planted, they return each year
Vines - may need to be pruned to stop them spreading
Ferns and grasses - low maintenance. May need dividing after third year.
Trees - minimal care, requires regular watering in first few years until established
The next time you pay a trip to your local garden centre, why not work through this list to check that you are choosing the right plant for your garden.
