Mass planting brims with benefits. It can give your garden the wow factor. It can create harmony. It's even a saviour for the time-poor gardener. Plus, thanks to its simplicity, it complements modern home design and small spaces perfectly. What’s not to love?

 

What is mass planting?

Mass planting (or group planting as it’s also known) is when the same plant is planted repeatedly in a group, usually next to groups of others plants (there are usually three to five plant types within a mass planting).

Why mass planting is a winner

Mass planting brims with benefits. Not only can it give your garden wow factor, it can create balance, and with only a handful of different plants to care for (concentrated into manageable groups rather than spotted around the garden), mass planting is ideal for the time-poor gardener. With its minimalist look, mass planting is the perfect pairing for modern home styles where less is more. Mass planting is also popular for sensory gardens (lavender, gardenia and petunia is a great combo). Thanks to its simplicity, mass planting is also great for small spaces.

What can I mass plant?

Stephanie Jones, Flower Power Services landscape designer and horticulturalist, suggests hardy plants like buxus, murraya, gardenia, viburnum, lavender, daisies, petunia, salvia and kangaroo paw. If you're using grasses, keep them to less than a metre in height, as longer grasses tend to look messy in groups.

 

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Height

For maximum effect, pick plants that grow to a height of one metre or less

Colour
Stephanie suggests choosing no more than five different plants and sticking to monochromatic colours for a relaxed theme (plants in different shades of blue, purple or white are great), or complementary colours to create a bright entertaining area. Complementary colours are those that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, like yellow and purple. If you’re still not confident with choosing a colour scheme, visit us instore and see our displays for instant inspiration.

Aspect

Is the planting area bathed in sunshine or is it mostly shaded? The plants in Flower Power garden centres are arranged according to their favourite aspect, so wander through your local store to see which plants will be happiest in your garden.

 

PREPARING FOR MASS PLANTING

Prepare the soil. Cultivate the soil by digging up the area you’ll be planting in. Make sure to dig up at least the top 20cm of the whole area before planting, adding cow manure and gypsum as you go. This is easier and faster than digging up individual holes for the plant.

Ready, set, plant. Check each plant’s tag for planting instructions. Note: the distance apart from each plant is measured from the centre of the plant. Once you’ve planted everything, add a wetting agent and fertiliser every four to six months, then sit back, relax and enjoy!

 

If you’d like one of our Flower Power Services professionals to create a mass planting garden for you, click to learn more.