Drift planting is the use of just a few species but massed in groupings. It often follows a color scheme, but may also be developed from a variety of sizes and flower types. Key is the use of at least 3 of each species.
Why plant in drifts?
There is great power through planting in drifts. Sometimes as gardeners we are a bit tentative and plant in ones and twos and so our garden becomes a bit of a hotch potch. However, if we can be bold and plant in large groups and drifts, the effect can be very impressive. Even in small gardens don’t be shy to plant in large groups.
How do drifts and masses work in a garden?
This is a close-up of a much larger garden, but you can see how drifts and masses are working on both informal and formal levels among the plants themselves. Grasses up front encircle the coneflowers, while both lead up to the taller Joe Pye Weed blooming white.
How do you fix a landscape that is drifting?
3. Tie a larger landscape together. The balance and weight of plant drifts can anchor a view in a larger landscape and prevent it from overwhelming or becoming visually dysfunctional.
What does planted in drifts mean?
"Drifts" make a statement. Planting in drifts means fewer varieties of plants in your border, but those that are represented have much greater impact than single specimens.
How many plants make a drift?
If the plants are relatively large in stature, five or six plants may be enough to create a drift planting. Drifts of smaller plants may include dozens of a single variety.
How do you plant bulbs for drifting?
Make your holes to the recommended depth. Mix a little Hi-Yield® Triple Superphosphate (0-45-0) into the soil at the bottom of the hole. Place bulbs into the hole flat side down, cover with soil, and wait for spring. You will be rewarded with a breathtaking show of color.
What is swathe planting?
'Swathe planting' is where large groups of the same plant drift into other groups, fading and glowing more vibrantly as they begin and move through their flowering period.
How do you plant 3 plants together?
If you have enough space, group them in an equilateral triangle. This looks particularly good with mounding or vertical plants. Be sure to leave some space between the plants, especially if they are three different kinds. You can even use a garden ornament, like a birdbath, to count as the third item in a set of three.
How do you group plants together?
The Must-Have Guide to Grouping Your PlantsArrange in Odd Numbers.Combine Around Seating Areas.Display Different Sizes and Shapes Together.Join Based on Leaf Textures.Gather Based on Leaf Colors.Cluster by Care Requirements.Ready to get grouping? Here are a few specific ways you can put these tips into practice:
Can tulips and daffodils be planted together?
Growing them together will extend the early flowering season well into late spring. Tulips and daffodils are highly valued for their bold splashes of color in the spring. Growing them together will extend the early flowering season well into late spring.
What happens if you plant bulbs too close together?
Planting flower bulbs too close together can cause root systems to strangle each other or cause them to dehydrate or starve due to limited water and nutrition. The general rule of thumb is to cover the top of each bulb with 3" to 4" of soil, taking care to not break off any sprout growth.
How do you plant tulips in drifts?
5:1910:29How to Plant Bulbs in the Fall (Tulips, Daffodils, Allium, Muscari!) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo just make sure you put that root in down in the ground. And then you're ready to go.MoreSo just make sure you put that root in down in the ground. And then you're ready to go.
What is the difference between swath and swathe?
Swath is only a noun. It refers to (1) the width of a scythe stroke, (2) a path made by mowing, or (3) something likened to a path made by mowing. Today, it's usually used in the third, figurative sense. Swathe is usually a verb, meaning, primarily, to wrap or bind with or as if with bandage.
What is Swath Control?
What is Swath Control? Sometimes it's also called “section control”. It is a GPS-based control system for application machines or planters or even combines that reduces the effects of overlapping as operations occur in a field. Not every field is a perfect square shape.
What does cutting a swathe mean?
idiom. to destroy a large part of something or kill many of a group of people: The storm cut a swathe through the village.
What is naturalistic drift pattern?
Natural lines of drift are those paths across terrain that are the most likely to be used when going from one place to another. These paths are paths of least resistance: those that offer the greatest ease while taking into account obstacles (e.g. rivers, cliffs, dense unbroken woodland, etc.)
How do you plant a full border?
1:252:32How to plant a perennial border with Thompson & Morgan. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's a good idea to position plants in groups of three of the same kind to give the appearance of aMoreIt's a good idea to position plants in groups of three of the same kind to give the appearance of a larger clump. It's not essential but it does look better than dotting them about randomly.
How do you plant a border for year round interest?
Assess the specific conditions of your garden. ... Think about the time you have available for maintaining a border. ... Plan your year of color. ... Decide on a look for your planting scheme. ... Pick a range of different plant colors. ... Build up your base of evergreens. ... Choose long-flowering plants for easy maintenance.More items...•
What is block planting?
What is Block Planting? Block planting is a method of gardening that focuses on planting in tight areas. This method works best in raised garden beds where it's easy to plant seeds in grid formations rather than rows.
What is Drift Planting?
Drift planting is the use of just a few species but massed in groupings. It often follows a color scheme, but may also be developed from a variety of sizes and flower types. Key is the use of at least 3 of each species. Planting 3 or more of a type creates a natural setting that attracts pollinators.
How to Plant in Drifts
The first consideration is plant variety. This depends upon whether you are attracting bees or all pollinators. Even bats sip from night blooming flowers and help pollinate, so if these are your target, ensure plants that flower in the evening. For the most diverse visiting pollinators, plants with compound flowers are best.
Plants to Attract Pollinators
Plants like red maple aren’t generally considered flowering plants, but they bloom early and are an important food supply for bees. Witch hazel blooms in fall but there is also a spring blooming variety that flowers in February or March.
What species of candelabra is used in drifts?
The photo below shows the use on one species, Primula candelabra, to provide the drifts unity and colour themes.
Can you plant in drifts?
There is great power through planting in drifts. Sometimes as gardeners we are a bit tentative and plant in ones and twos and so our garden becomes a bit of a hotch potch. However, if we can be bold and plant in large groups and drifts, the effect can be very impressive.
How do drift plantings work?
Gardens designed with drift plantings try to imitate natural growth habits by creating colonies of single plant varieties that appear to have occurred through self-seeding or other unaided means of propagation or planting. Effective drift plantings are most dense in the center of the mass, thinning to fewer, more widely spaced plants at the edge of the grouping. The sparseness at the perimeter leaves space for plants to mingle with perennials of a neighboring group, creating a more natural appearance.
How many plants can make a drift?
How many plants create a drift? If the plants are relatively large in stature, five or six plants may be enough to create a drift planting. Drifts of smaller plants may include dozens of a single variety.
How to maintain continuity in a plant design?
Edging a detailed planting with a unifying drift of a low-growing foliage plant is an excellent way to maintain continuity in a design. Try edging a mixed perennial mass with a band of lamb's ear -- the repetition of that single plant variety will bring order to chaos.
What to choose for drift planting?
When selecting plants for drift plantings, choose varieties with large flowers, long bloom times and multi-season interest. Nothing is more discouraging than a huge patch of once pretty perennials heading toward midsummer dormancy.
What is detail planting?
The goal of detail planting is to create vignettes by combining several plant varieties in a small space. Cottage gardens are familiar examples of detail planting. They radiate charm and invite close inspection. Some of the plants in a detail planting may go unnoticed if the border is sited too far from where it will be regularly observed.
What are drifts of shrubs?
Drifts of shrubs contribute structure to the landscape. These woody masses link tree canopies to the ground. Single shrub placement is a bit trickier. Unless the plant can pass as an element of a detailed planting, its location may appear awkward or accidental.
What creates ribbons of color in the landscape?
Drifts of annuals create ribbons of color in the landscape.
How do plants form communities?
Plants form communities. Plants colonize. Plants rely on family and friends to grow well as they share information and resources through their scents and roots. One way to create a beautiful garden that’s lower maintenance and emulates nature is to use drifts and masses.
How to repeat flower pattern in garden?
In a garden you can intermingle drifts of plants. Toss in a few massed clumps of flowers amid a backdrop of grasses, then repeat that flower and grass pattern elsewhere on a larger or smaller scale — say, three of a kind here, seven of a kind there. If you have a large area, you can do this with bigger plants and more of them; in a small space, choose smaller plants with a more limited species palette.
What do gardeners want?
Most gardeners, I think, want to bring a bit of the wilder natural world into their home landscapes. This doesn’t mean an unkempt look, but it does often mean imitating and interpreting the natural structure, form and layout of a prairie, woodland or even desert. Plants form communities. Plants colonize. Plants rely on family and friends to grow well as they share information and resources through their scents and roots.
Can succulents play in a desert garden?
Succulent gardens can play, too. A xeric or desert garden has a different aesthetic than a small front garden border or a larger, meadow-inspired landscape, but you can still use the principles of drifts and masses to mimic and interpret what you’d find in nature.