Every one of my planting plans starts with graph paper, a pencil, and plenty of erasing and redrawing until it feels just right. For my own gardens, this rough sketch is the final product. When working with clients, I refine it for delivery, but the process itself remains refreshingly simple. It doesn’t need to be complicated or require technical expertise—definitely not landscape architectural tools, although you’ll see I use a circle stencil for ease.

I often say there’s no “right” way to garden, and that’s especially true when it comes to planning. While there are plenty of online tools available, if you’re a little old school like me, I’d love to share my stripped-down six step approach.

Step 1: Listing and Categorizing

I start by listing everything I’d like to grow for the year. Then, I sort the list by growing season: cool, warm, hot, cold, or perennial. Gardenwell’s Seasonal Planting List provides a list of common kitchen garden plants, organized by season and size, plus a chart to record your local growing seasons. I always keep this trusty cheat sheet nearby. Even after years of gardening, I reference it often.

Seasonal Planting List

Note that you may not have every growing seasons in your area. In the Hudson Valley, I plan for two cool seasons, one warm season, and one cold season. I create a separate planting plan for each.

Next, I assign a size category—extra small through extra large—to each plant, based on how many can fit in one square foot. While I don’t plant in squares, visualizing plant sizes this way makes planning and research much easier. If you find yourself with gaps to fill, get inspiration in the planting list link above.

Step 2: Start with the First Season

I begin with the first planting season of the year. To stay organized, create a simple plant key, assigning a letter to each plant. It doesn’t need to be neat, just clear enough for you to understand!

Step 3: Draw Garden Beds to Scale

As I am drawing the beds, with each square representing one square foot, I make sure to include any existing perennial plants. To avoid unintentional (and inevitable) erasing of pencil, I outline these with a thin black marker.

Step 4: Map Out the Plants

With my list in hand, I start with the largest plants and draw circles to represent their mature size in the garden. I label each circle to correspond with my plant key. Then, I work my way down to the smallest of plants around the edges of the bed. My goal is to have the circles gently touch but I don’t worry about being too precise. It’s just a guide for when you’re in the garden, which is forgiving. Plus, plants don’t always adhere to our size expectations! *(For you eagle-eyed readers, my stencil is upside down as one of the edges is otherwise annoying.)*

Step 5: Plan for Multiple Seasons

I repeat this process for each growing season, making sure to include plants that span across seasons and will still be present in the garden. Each seasonal plan builds on the last, ensuring the garden stays productive and efficient throughout the year.
As shown in the top bed, I like to group my plants to simplify the appearance of the design. Sometimes I add color, if I’m feeling artistic.

Step 6: Make a Shopping List

Once the designs are complete, I count how many of each plant I’ve included. This becomes my shopping list for seeds and transplants. (Yes!!) Happy planning!

Can We Help?

I know I just said it’s simple but it’s also really fun to work together. Gardenwell offers custom design and planting plans. Submit this form to chat!

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