DRIFT PLANTING
Movement + flow in the garden
A drift planting is when plants are arranged in groups or clusters that "drift" across a garden space in natural, flowing patterns. This pattern is about movement and informality. Allow the drifts to widen at one end and narrrow at the other. Each "drift" is the same plant, so consider something that looks great while it blooms and when it doesn't. Over time these drifts may intermingle and blend with adjacent drifts.
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Though drifts are placed informally in a planting bed, the planting bed itself can be formal and rectilinear and even be within a very geometric garden space overall. It's the arrangement of the plants that are sweeping drifts, not necessarily the entire garden space…though your entire design...hardscapes and plantings can be sweeping and dynamic too!
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Let's jump into this amazing topic!
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Design below by Kelly Norris at the Blank Performing Arts Center in Indianola, Iowa
GOODNESS FOR YOU THIS MONTH
Below you will find several items to help you learn more about DRIFT PLANTING. From written words to video to applied activities to our Design Library resources to group discussions. Explore our topic from different angles and gain a new perspective. Click on the images below to download PDFs of your Garden Design Guide and Activity. Further down you will find a video and links to our community, a bonus live session, plus a Q+A too!
VIDEO: DRIFT PLANTING Drawing Demo
The video below shows how I draw a drift planting-style bed in plan view.
RESOURCES in our DESIGN LIBRARY
The GARDEN DESIGN GUIDES below are beautiful resources to help strengthen your overall understanding of DRIFT PLANTINGS...or perhaps you'd like to visit the entire DESIGN LIBRARY here.
PLANTING MODELS
Planting Models are a great way to start conceptualizing patterns for the layout of a planting bed before jumping into the details of plant selection. This month learn a bit more about mixed borders.
FORM + TEXTURE + COLOR
This Garden Design Guide provides an elements of planting design overview and how these are important to the plant composition as a whole.
PLANT LAYERS
In wild plant communities plants naturally grow in three general layers, so let's use this idea to help us organize plants vertically in our own designs. The three PLANT LAYERS include: structural, seasonal theme and groundcover/matrix.
HOW TO GROUP PLANT SYMBOLS
When we draw drift plantings in plan view it's important to know how to group plant symbols to simplify and provide clarity in our graphics. Check out the blog post below to learn more.
OUR COMMUNITY
Don't forget to hang out with us this month.
Check in to share your activity. Try it yourself and/or learn from the submissions of your peers. No need to stress. Just enjoy!
DESIGN A DRIFT PLANTING IN PLAN VIEW ACTIVITY
This topic contains two activities. Feel free to do one or both...whatever will benefit you the most.
Share a win!
What have you accomplished in the last month that makes you super happy? Let us celebrate with you!
Do you have a question?
Do you have a question on this month's topic or another design question? Let's all learn together!
LIVE SESSIONS
We have two this month: our normal Q+A, plus a bonus on Presentation Graphics. These will be recorded in case you can't make it (then posted right back here). Check out all UPCOMING LIVE SESSIONS here. I can't wait to see you!
Presentation Graphics
When your designs are completed and ready to share with a client that’s a great time to pull them together into a cohesive presentation set. This would include title blocks, proper lettering, a written scale, north arrow and any branding that would signify you as the designer.
Thursday, November 14
2 PM PST | 3 PM MST | 4 PM CST | 5 PM EST
London: 10 PM UTC
Sydney: November 15 at 9 AM AEDT
Monthly Q+A
Tuesday, November 26
North America: 10 AM PST | 11 AM MST | Noon CST | 1 PM EST
London: 6 PM GMT
Sydney: November 27 at 5 AM AEDT
I'd love your feedback once you've devoured all this goodness.
Drop me a note at the email below and let me know what you loved and what could be improved. Thank you!
Please contact me at [email protected]
