Gardening websites ?

are there any gardening sites out there where you can look at plants and how they would look together in a planting scheme. i've found a couple of garden design softwares that are free to use but the number of plants is very limited. :?: :?:

 

thanks eileen, however i have stumbled across this one before. its very useful but not what im after. . . .i want to be able to pick my bed size, pick my plants, throw them in and see what it looks like. . . being fairly new to gardening i dont have the experience to know what works with what??? i suppose its all trial and error and im not going to get it right first time, but it would be nice to have a preview

 

Luke, that is a great concept. Sorry I can't help you out with this, other than to tell you to try by (trial and error) combining plants that need similar care, water, light, etc. Taller plants in the back if this is a onesided bed or in the center if you are going to see the bed from more than one side. then work your way to the front of the bed by graduating size. Keep in mind whether you are working with annuals or perennials that you are going to have different bloom times for every plant. Not all of them or even many of them, especially the perennials, will be in bloom at the same time. Most often perennials will bloom once or for a small window of the summertime and then be done. You will need to plant plenty of annuals to cover up their ugly spent foliage for the rest of the season.

Add some textures such as fuzzy leaves and/or grasses for interest.

Also make sure you give your plants room to grow. They have a mature size and when you crowd them too much they are more susceptible to disease due to a lack of circulation, insects may feast on them and move from plant to plant more easily and they may also get too dry in the bed from the competition for moisture.

I get so frustrated when I look at a bulb or plant catalog and they have these BEAUTIFUL gardens that are ALL in bloom at the same time, which is (usually) unrealistic. When you purchase the same plants and/or bulbs and plant them they won't all bloom at the same time after you plant them.( I feel as if it is false advertising at it's finest).

 

thanks for the great advice carolyn, i guess come next spring im gonna have to just get stuck in

 

i also agree with you about the pictures of amazing looking gardens. i spend alot of my spare time with my books and the internet looking at stunning borders and amazingly put together planting schemes. i often have to remind myself that this isn't going to be achieved in my first couple of years . . . . one day though

 

I agree with you Lukey! I have these visions of the flower beds in my mind... And I just get to antsy knowing that it will take a couple of years to get it to look "just right".
And then... I'd probably want to change it! :-D