Is your garden planned? Or "evolved"

As the title says really: did you pre-plan your garden space, or did it simply "evolve" over time?

Is a pre-planned garden more "limited" than an evolving one simply because decisions are already made?

If you have an "evolving" garden, at which point do you start/stop? Did it begin as a pre-planned and then grew? Or, does the word "stop" mean it no longer "evolves" but reaches a natural fulfillment?

When prioritising what to keep and what to replace, what are your main considerations? Space? Aspect? Soil? Look? Feel? Growth of family/age? Experience? Inspired by others?

In pre-planning, where did you begin? What you fancied? What was on sale?

In "evolving" gardens, where did you begin? What you fancied? What was on sale?

Lots of questions, I know; answer those you can and ignore the rest.

 

I always plan. If a new border becomes available....maybe removal of shrubs/whatever.....I work out what I want from it, planting combinations, etc. I always put it on paper, then change it, think about it and when happy I plant it. I always give my planting a lot of thought. However, there is always something I change, often when everything is growing ...I tinker or remove or swap. Generally works. So, planned and evolved gardening! But, good stuff always gets put in the hole and I always mulch for appearance

 

I've never planned anything, but then my garden really consists of a basic outline planted with plants I like, in the places that best suit them.

So probably not what you would call a garden, more an area of plants.

 

I planned the overall layout several times, the last being about 8 years ago. If I was replanning now, i'd probably do it differently. I based the ideas on pathways and patio areas although there was an element of evolution as I left some paved areas in situ and added stuff around them. At the last big change I added several shallow ponds, one of which dictated a change of patio shape.
I've tried planning planting effects but they always defeat me!

I have made endless wish-lists over the years of plants, some of which have thrived and done what I wanted, others have been a total let down, and my ideas of what makes a good plant or planting scheme change anyway, so not sure where planning has got me!

If I was to start afresh i would create a framework of food trees/shrubs, such as stepover apples, espaliers, small fruit trees etc. At the time I didn't want to wait around for them to mature. 18 years later I'm not sure why! Also, I would prefer to have one large patio area instead of several small ones. As I have no lawn I can cope with lots of paving but need pathways to take me around to visit all the plants.

 

The main garden had to be planned from the fence line to the house.
As for the planting, that will always change year in year out.
I believe that plenty of variety is good for the eye and for the wildlife too.
Giving into what the companies want us to buy instead of the individual making their choice is not what my garden is about.
At first the garden was for the children to venture around and learn, now it is for the parents to play in. After all we have made it into what we think is a garden for all not just for humans.

 

I initially had a plan and it was to be a trouble free garden so I put gravel down on the borders. Now I have a real interest in plants and gardening I am regretting it a little. I put shrubs in and used pots with annuals in to add colour and plug the gaps. This year though it has really moved on and the holes are being plugged with other perenials. I got a basic idea of what I wanted and have changed it slightly. I have enjoyed growing from seed and plan to grow a few more perenials for next year. I am planning my garden on fence panels, meaning the border is just over a meter deep and each panel is 6 foot so I use this as an individual bed of 6 x 3.5 foot. I have also put some raised beds in these 'borders' so I can put annuals in to change the feel from year to year. The difficulty is getting each border to blend into the next.

Rusty

 

I asks the missus "wadya fancy this year"? And so I stuffs it in where I think it wasn't before. Simples.

Cheers, Tony.

 

Marley, is that you in the second photo? Impressive gymnastics!

 

Mine has evolved around me and it`s still does , I think this is all about gardening , moving plants , try new variety , overwintering , changing the layout if it doesn`t work and so on .....It would be impossible for me to keep a planned garden .

 

Mine is still evolving; we've been here since 2008 and I didn't really do anything with the garden until 2009, so its been an ongoing project since then.

We (well mostly me, my wife's not a garden person ) are also doing it all on a tight budget as we have a young family too. Lots of stuff is grown from seed, cuttings and sale beds and freecycle are regularly looked at.

I have a couple of clear ideas for the garden that I'd like to do over the next few months and in to next spring, so we'll see how we get on

Also like Pete I love plants (especially unusual and rarer ones) that much, its as much a collection of plants as a garden

 

I share the desire to acquire plants. Love plants too and always looking for new ones. Some disappoint but many are exciting

 

I tried to plan, and to some extent I've done as I planned, but mostly it is evolving.

To be honest, I think mine will just evolve for ever, because I change my mind on a whim. That may be partly because subconsciously I suspect part of me doesn't want it to ever be 'finished', because I enjoy doing the garden more than I enjoy looking at ones that are already done.

 

Hey! Garden is never done. Never finished. Plants die off, we tire of some of them, always must-have new plants. I always think I can improve on something so move them even in full growth in the summer.