ulp

There are some very lucky and fore-sighted people who can visualise what a border or a whole garden will look like. That is, if they have a blank canvas to start with. That's not me. I wish I had 'vision'.

There are also people who plan on paper and do some research about what certain plants need - and then go ahead. That's sort of me - I do try when I have a big space to plant up. It doesn't always work as on my plan, though!

Then there are the impulse buyers who see a plant and just have to have it in their garden...That's definitely me! And it's then that I look at the effect and have to move plants around. Never mind - I still enjoy my garden!

So why do you need help, John - did your border look wrong in some way? Did the plants suffer?
You've certainly listed a lot of great plants. Maybe if you had some photos it would show us what help you need - and people would make suggestions that you could take or leave.

I love gardening but i'm terrible at remembering these latin names for them, also i'm not that good at planning a garden, like spritz i'm a bit of a, (like that i'll buy it), even without thinking where i'm going to put them, but to me if you enjoy gardening and you get pleasure out of doing it, plus dirty hands, and always dirty nails,then i think i can call myself a gardener.

My uv been busy planting & Buying 2 by sounds of it John :) I buy what i like look of Thats all part of putting your mark on your own garden :) Planting is the same really every1s taste differs ,i like2colour scheme around my boaders placing colours that match & are smiliar2gether,Like Pinks blending in2 Purples then Purple in2Blues ,Or Pinks blending 2 Reds them to oranges then yellow ,Sliver&white look good2gether as i find u can take these colours in2 Blue & mix in Purple again :) Do i make sense! Well this is how i like 2 set out my Plantings it may not work 4 u? Theres a Member called Grenville who has a fab Blog on Colours&Planting that may help u lots John :)

I must have given the impression thatI am quickly losing the will to live because I am hopeless at plant association, let me tell you the pleasure I get from seeing my trilliums poking through or the the first asparagus spear coming up, far outweighs my despondency at not having an eye for colour mixing

John - it doesn't matter whether you can put plants together artistically or not. Gardening is about pleasure and if you get pleasure from it, then that is the main thing. Anything else is a bonus

For years I moved plants - some quite large conifers - around the garden. My husband described it as "playing chess" with the plants!

When I place a plant in a border I walk away and turn to look at it. Has it passed the first test? It then gets looked at from other angles, and then from further away. I might go into the house and look out of the various windows on different floors to check if it looks right. If the plant is little but will grow large, I put a tall pole in the position so that I can see it. Often, the final position is not in that original area at all, but several feet away - even in another border.

I also try to have all-year-round interest - so that there isn't too large an area that is flat and bare in the winter. We use foliage - red, blue and yellow and contrast shape and form.

Fourseasons is so very right about aiming for all year round interest. My gardens always seem to have everything looking good in springtime ! I've made efforts to have a better effect at other times of year. :o)

John ~ I must admit that some of the best results in my garden have come about by sheer accident. I'll get praised on the way a climber is looking, and have to smile to myself, because I had no idea it would be so tall or be exactly that colour. Lol.

Part of the fun of gardening for me is all the surprises. Bulbs appearing which I had forgotten about. Plants blooming which I thought had gone for ever. I agree with Andrewr - if you get pleasure from your gardening this will be evident in the end result, even if the colours clash a little ! :o)

The whole point of a garden, in my opinion, is ... enjoy! Who cares if colours clash? Let them! If YOU enjoy your garden no-one else matters. Have fun!

i love the way mother nature plants foxfloves, echium, poppys and many more all over my garden. she never cares about colour size or anything like that. the self seeders only grow where they're happy with the growing conditions....

I would love to see your garden you describe with all those plants John...goodness it must be glorious...I try to do a little planning but mostly just plant so they won't die before I get to it....always think I can move it later if it just is not good there...don't think i've ever bothered to move much though...I am not a latin name keeper either...can barely remember any names ....I call them that one or the one in this or that pot...or against the rail there. Happy gardening John...

John, as others have said too, you're a great gardener, even if you don't know it!
What a lovely, touching story about your first veg seeds from the chemist, and how much you were able to make of them, that's wonderful. Many like me wish they could be more consistent and get more out of their veg crop.
Enjoyed your blog - don't worry, every garden and gardener is different and you don't need to feel out of your depth. x

I really like your term "plant zoo", because gardens are increasingly playing a major part in the conservation of plant species, much as zoos do for the animal kingdom. Your plant list is impressive, hope we get to see it! The main thing is that, like all of us, you're out there enjoying your garden and growing plants. That's all that matters, in my book!

If I was to itemize every plant in my garden, it would cover several pages front and back, probably over 1000 species only today I came home with a Gaura lindheimeri and a Euonimus Alatus, (essential for the overall layout of course) and going cheap ye see, so I happily subscribe to your idea of preserving the plant kingdom, more power to us

Of course (on the Euonymus and the bargain buys), haha!

It's the Plants and Trees I love. Take any Plant or Weed and study it, write about it and it grows on you GOY