HORT243
Bedding Plant Production

              The first steps in planning your garden should be to determine the location or site, the design style, and the shape and size of the bed. The design principles can guide you every step of the way! Strive for effective placement and combinations of herbs (alone or with other types of plants) as well as pleasing color schemes and textures in the overall design.

SITE CONSIDERATIONS

Consider the background for your garden. Gardens may be designed along the boundaries of the backyard or a driveway, in front of a fence or other structures, or near the house or other buildings.

Consider both summer and winter views.

Consider plant hardiness also.

Island Beds vs. Borders (next to a structure)

       Island beds which are viewed on all sides, can be various shapes, including round, oval, half-moon, and kidney-shaped.  Borders are viewed from the front and sides with the bed outline of either curving or angular lines.  Use bold, "easy to mow" bed shapes.

      The edging can be physical (flagstone, etc.) or hand-spaded. If a bed is wider than 4-5', provide "weeding paths" or stepping stones for ease of maintenance.

Season of Flowering

Plant Habits or Forms

Plant habits or forms fall into several broad categories as follows
         Low spreading or prostrate
         Mounded or rounded
         Vase (or V) shaped
         Upright or vertical to upright mounded
         Two tiered (having a lower mound of leaves with more vertical or airy flowers above)

Mixing vertical or upright forms with mounded ones offers interest and pleasing visual variety in your garden. Prostrate or low mounded habits make great deging plants.

Color Schemes

     Cool, calming colors (blues, purples, and mauves) recede visually and are good for close-up viewing and for contrast with brighter colors.

        Warm, exciting colors (reds, oranges, and yellows) are advancing and eye-catching colors, good for dramatic displays to be seen from a distance.

        Choose 2-3 favorite colors and plan a garden around them. Too many colors may look busy and not provide enough unity for a pleasing design. Use white flowers or silver- and gray-leaved plants for blending the colors. Add color through foliage, such as purple-leaved basils, variegated leaves (tricolor sage), and of course silver and gray-green ones like artemisias and sage.

        Add a touch of yellow to provide some zip and zing in a muted color scheme. Oranges add depth to an herb garden. The contrast of light and dark colors used together can be quite eye-catching.

Variety in Textures

        Plants fall into general categories of texture -- fine, medium-fine, medium, medium-bold, and bold (or coarse). Leaf size, shape, and coloring will determine the plant's texture. A plant's texture can be variable, depending upon the plants placed nearby.

        Provide variety in your selection of textures in the garden!!  A garden of all fine textures lacks the dominance needed to give the garden interest.  Lamb's ear, hosta, canna or nasturtiums can lend some medium to bold textures and give variety to the overall planting.

Other Additions

Consider adding a bench, statuary, birdbath, sundial, or trellis to your garden site to provide dominance or enhance a focal point.  Remember that moderation is the key!