I feel very stupid asking about this, so please go easy on me. I'm pretty new to gardening on my own. I use my computer to make diagrams of my garden areas, along with little circles representing the plants I'm going to be planting. I move the circles around until I like the design, then I plant. I have shrubs, perennials, and annuals...

My problem is, I can't seem to get the spacing right! I get the spacing info off my seed packets, plant tags or online. It seems I'm always planting things too close together - maybe for fear of planting them too far apart so my garden doesn't look sparse. I don't mind the crowded "look" of the garden, but this is ridiculous! (Hahaha) Not to mention that I'm almost positive this is the cause of a couple of my plants' fungal infections.

Do you think part of my problem could be that I confuse spread with spacing sometimes? I just don't know. Do you all have any suggestions?

Al

I enjoy your dilemna. Even after gardening for quite a few years, it is one which I still have... on occasion!

Plants grow differently in everyones garden and from one place to another. And what's on the packet or the tag may or may not apply to your gardens because of where you've placed the plant, the soil, sun exposure, etc.

So.... to solve your frustration, you might try a few tricks which I've used from time to time.
- Check out gardens in your neighbourhood and make mental notes on how the plants grow. If you like something, ask questions about how that gardener gardens. Do they mulch? fertilize? Did they change the soil from what it was by adding topsoil? etc.

- Plant your schrubs and perennials as 'bones' in the gardens, and fill with annuals. Then if things become too crowded, you can transplant the annuals elsewhere without interrupting the 'bones'.

- Your garden is not just for plants, but also for garden art. I have several bowling balls which I've done mosaics on and I also use them as fillers. I also use trelisses, bird houses and such to draw the eyes to particular sections of the gardens. Play with it.

- Let things go for a while in an area where you feel you have a problem. I did this in a particular garden this year and love it right now!! It looks like a cottage garden which was planned - NOT! - and everyone loves it!! Full to the brim with blooms from annuals and perennials. It's bursting!!

- Consider height. Sometimes it's not the spacing which is the issue as much as it is the height. Plant shorter plants next to taller ones. I used to place all the tall ones together and then all the short ones in the front. Now I plant tall ones in the back 2/3rds of a border, and plant shorter ones (and medium height) throughout. It makes the eyes go up and down and travel through the gardens in a way which explores and finds new things at every turn.

Seeing the gardens on paper is one thing. Seeing them in real life is another. You have seen your plants grow this year, and now (fall season) is the time to make changes so that next year you will start to see what you wish to see!!

Have fun!