Most importantly, make sure each plant is in a spot that has the amount of sun it needs. Then arrange the plants in a staggered way so even if something in front gets tall, plants behind it might still be seen. If you are new to gardening, you'll need to expect some amount of moving things around. That's actually part of the fun. If you only have one of any type of plant, leave room around it so you can add more if you decide you like it that much. Many plants will spread as they mature, or drop seed and produce volunteers. Next year, or this fall, you can go to another swap and get more things to add. Before you know it, you'll be begging others to take a shovel full of something home to give you more space. If your bed feels sparse now, consider filling in with annuals while the perennials mature.

Martha

but I don't want to have to do too much moving unless necessary.

==>>> this defines your dilemma ....

you just witnessed how easily they move ... so dont be lazy now ...

get them planted ASAP ... so they are well established for the summer heat ... simply by height ...

and as they prosper.. MOVE THEM AROUND IN FALL ....

what i learned doing this type of things... it is great to have a nursery bed .... and you plant them ASAP ... [otherwise they sit around in pots all summer] ... just 2 foot on center ... and grow the plant ....

and THEN YOU HAVE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT long term placement ...

do NOT hesitate to get them in the ground as soon as possible ... trust me.. i have killed more things hesitating on perfect placement .. rather than just getting them planted ...

your root issue.. is you have what.. 50 plants??? .. and you want each one planted permanently ... if you can work that out.. you are better than my 30 odd years of gardening experience .....

ken

Thanks Ken and Martha for your responses. I went out yesterday and planted everything according to height and staggered the plants so they were not all in a row. I also tried to give it a little balance . I put the iris in three different spots as well as the lilies in several spots.

Some of the plants were getting droopy and they were much happier in the ground.

I have a small nursery bed area that I used to start seeds or to save a discarded plant from someone else. Not big enough for all of those plants. I was one step ahead of the game though, I did have a large area mostly ready to go for the newly acquired plants, so it was a matter of getting them arranged to the best of my ability and planted. I was so pleased with my new plants that I took a chair and just looked at it for a while. I know that sounds silly, but I felt like I needed to get to know them!!

Thanks again

Diane

Your new garden sounds wonderful! Sitting in a chair and looking at it is not silly...I love to look at my gardens and just sit for awhile and think about it. I am sometimes amazed at what comes into my mind at those times. So now you can enjoy watching them mature and bloom and you will have lots of new ideas of what to do with them by the time Fall comes!!! I would love to see some pics of your new plants if you can!
Joann

I think plants swaps are great too. I've received many wonderful plants from nice swappers, and the plant always reminds me of the person who gave it to me. It sounds like you got a quite a variety of plants! How wonderful!

It also sounds like there is a method to how you've organized your plantings, so you should get some good results. OTOH, some plants may not grow as you expect, some will outgrow their spots or get taller than you expect, and some will die off. The same plant will have good years and not so good.

You will get to know the nature of your plants much better as you watch them grow and will probably spend a lot of time looking at them. Many gardeners talk about "the stare" when they are hanging around staring at the gardens. It may appear the gardener is doing nothing, but what I'm doing is looking at plants, seeing how they're doing, looking over the design, visualizing changes, and observing the birds and bugs too.

Hope you enjoy your plants!

I was so pleased with my new plants that I took a chair and just looked at it for a while.

===>> what are you talking about ... this is why i built the cement pad .. and why they make folding lawn chairs portable ....

ken
{{gwi:211254}}

Ken that is too funny!! I have a small patio area that I tend to sit at to look over my gardens. I also grow vegetables so I need to keep an eye on all of it!! Sure don't want the carrots wandering off!!

But when I want to really do a close up, I pull a chair down the hill and get a really long close up look.

Its been a fun gardening season so far. My husband is trying hops for a future project. So far only 1 plant has sprouted.

My new perennial bed has been fun so far. I have two things blooming, which is a surprise. One is a poppy. They don't transplant very well and its blooming. I have tried poppies from seed but have not had much luck.

I worry about the weeds and am thinking about putting cardboard down and then mulch on top. Am I right thinking that the mulch can be grass clippings or leaves? I talked to the village guys down at City Hall and they will let me into the compost area in our town. I just need a truck to haul it.

Thanks for all of your help and support.

Diane

Grab that compost and mulch! You can never have too much of that stuff. Leaves, especially aged and crushed, are great, and grass clippings, so long as there aren't tons of weed seeds and it isn't super-fresh, is also good.

I also love swaps. I've gotten some of my favorite plants at them -- and also some things I'm still pulling out :). And I've met a lot of wonderful gardeners.

I worry about the weeds and am thinking about putting cardboard down and then mulch on top.

You go with that idea but expect to replace it a year or two down the road. It's worked for me for the most part but it isn't the be-all and end-all of gardening--there are some weeds that will grow right up through the cardboard and mulch (ask me how I know this to be true). Still, it's been effective more than it hasn't in several of my garden beds.

I understand putting the taller ones in back and making sure that everything is spaced properly.

Don't lose sight of the truth that whatever you're going for is right for you but may not be right for another gardener (or what you're planting). I like the look of space between my perennials because that's the look that pleases my eye. What pleases your eye is what pleases your eye & you get to decide that on your own but the plants themselves will ultimately determine the look of your garden.

Generally speaking, garden designs adhere to certain standard designs or patterns but they're not guidelines that are carved in stone. I took a huge, rectangular garden that existed before I moved here, divided it in half diagonally, stuck a granite garden bench in the center, curved the edges and laid a granite patio in front of the bench. Not the look the bed had prior to me having my way with it but to my eye it looks a lot more appealing than it did before.

Did I buy a garden design book? Yep--bought several and while they gave me ideas, none of the formal gardens worked for my property. I ended up with what worked for me so I'll suggest you sit down with a drawing pad & sketch what you see in your mind. I don't regret doing that and am vastly satisfied with what I've achieved.

Don't forget you'll have failures along with the successes. It's been the lesson I've had the most difficulty learning but the successes have mitigated the failures. There's SO much enjoyment when things return reliably year after year I'm reassured the plants I've worked to set in the ground truly are perennials and those that have disappeared are few and far between.