The Real Difference Professional Planting Plans Make to Your Garden
I've been designing gardens for over twenty years now, and there's one thing I see time and again: beautiful plants failing in the wrong conditions. It breaks my heart when clients tell me about expensive shrubs that died within months, or perennial borders that never quite looked right. The problem isn't usually the plants themselves - it's the lack of proper plans on which to anchor the space.
Starting with the Ground Up
When I visit a new site, I don't just look at what's pretty. I get my hands dirty - literally. Soil samples go back to the office, I measure light levels, assess weather exposure and potential drainage issues. It might seem overly technical, but this groundwork makes all the difference. Last month, I worked with a couple in Dumbartonshire who'd spent thousands on Mediterranean plants that kept dying. The soil was waterlogged clay, completely wrong for the types of plants they’d been using. Once we understood their site properly, we created planting plans that worked with the conditions rather than against them. Their garden is thriving now.
Why I Always Think About Wildlife
Gardens shouldn't exist in isolation. Every planting plan I create considers what's already living in the area - the birds, insects, and small mammals that make a garden feel alive. It's not just about being environmentally responsible (though that matters enormously), it's about creating something that works.
I remember a project in Glasgow where the client wanted a "low-maintenance" garden. By choosing plants that attracted beneficial insects, we created a natural pest control system. No gardens are ever zero maintenance, but low maintenance gardens tend to look quite different to what people expect - they can and should be full of plants! This client’s garden practically looks after itself now, with us visiting 6 times a year to keep things on track. It's always buzzing with life throughout the growing season - a really successful planting plan come to life!
From Tiny Courtyards to Country estates
The principles stay the same whether you've got a postage stamp in the city or acres in the countryside. I've designed planting plans for everything from balcony terrace gardens to woodland walks on Highland estates. The scale changes, but the attention to detail doesn't.
One of my favourite recent projects was a small Glasgow courtyard - maybe 70 square metres - where we managed to create four distinct growing environments. The client now grows vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a space she thought was too small for anything interesting.
Learning What Actually Works
After twenty years of getting my hands dirty in all sorts of gardens, you learn things they don't teach in textbooks. Some plants that look perfect on paper turn out to be thugs that take over everything, or are simply too fragile in their early years to get established without excessive maintenance requirements. Other plants that seem boring at first can actually become the backbone of successful schemes.
I spent my early years as a working gardener before moving into design. That practical experience taught me which plants actually deliver on their promises and which ones are all show. When I'm creating planting plans now, I know exactly how plants will behave five, ten and twenty years down the line.
More Than Just a Plant List
The planting plans I provide aren't just lists of plants with quantities. You get detailed drawings showing exactly where everything goes, mood boards so you can see how it'll look, and proper maintenance instructions so you know what to do when.
I learned early on that good intentions aren't enough if people don't know how to look after their new garden. That's why I include aftercare services for local clients - Paul, who's worked with me for nearly twenty years, often takes the lead on keeping gardens in peak condition.
Timing Matters More Than People Think
There's a reason I stay busy in winter - that's when most trees and hedges should go in the ground. Bare root plants establish better, cost less, and have the whole growing season ahead of them to settle in. Good planting plans account for these seasonal rhythms, and often we will plant out our larger planting plans in phases to allow for this. Planning ahead means better plants and better results.
Why Proper Planning Saves Money
I know it can seem counterintuitive to spend money on design before buying plants, but I've seen too many expensive mistakes. Replacing dead plants costs far more than getting it right first time. Proper planting plans prevent those costly failures.
Recently, a client showed me photos of their previous garden attempts - thousands spent on plants that never established properly. With a proper planting plan, we created something spectacular for half the cost of their failed experiments. The plants are thriving because they're in the right places doing the right jobs.
Working Together
Every project starts with a conversation. I need to understand how you want to use your space, what you love, what you hate, and what's realistic for your situation. Then we look at your site together, test the soil, and I'll explain what I think will work best.
Whether you're starting from scratch or want to improve what you've already got, good planting plans make all the difference. I work across Scotland and beyond - distance isn't usually a problem for design work, and I travel regularly for consultations. I’m based in Glasgow, but cover the UK with an online planting plan service.
If you're tired of gardens that don't quite work, or plants that struggle despite your best efforts, let's talk about creating something that really thrives in your space.
Tom Angel is a Chartered Horticulturist and Master of Horticulture (RHS) based in Glasgow. After twenty years working with plants, from hands-on gardening to award-winning design projects, Tom specialises in creating planting plans that work with Scotland's conditions rather than against them.
To discuss any aspect of wildflower meadow installation, give Tom a call on 0141 432 1141 or email on tom@tomangel.co.uk