Well, I had planned on having one where you could see each indiviudal type of plant well. But I didn't space far enough apart and now I have one that is all grown together. Not that I don't like it but it's a little too close for me. Some of my plants that are slow growers are covered up by the monster plants. You can't see some of them at all unless you get down and look under the big ones.

No hesitation from me............I love a garden that looks all blended together, lush and full (with the branches and leaves from one plant melting into another plant's). Those kinds of beds are breath taking. The less "populated" gardens are lovely but don't have that wild, yet contained, lushness about them.

I'm in the same boat. Everything is too crammed together. Some things aren't thriving simply because giant monster plants are blocking all the sun. I really did some hard cutting back about a week ago to find a couple of little lavenders which got totally hidden and buried. Already They're invisible again.

So, yes, I'd prefer to actually see all my plants. I have to give some of these to my friend in the fall.

Karen

I like my beds lush and full with one group of plants blending into another yet each group easily seen and seperate. I prefer not to see any mulch or soil. Sort of a controlled cottage garden look.

I think it also depends on your location. I live next to a huge wetland area, that is quite overgrown and wild. A formal garden would look very out of place. Your home looks somewhat Victorian, so you could do either semi-formal or cottage and get away with it. The rose? on the house is great for either, and looks really nice there. And I LOVE your zinnia's and cana's! That red & yellow one is beautiful! I think you have done a great job!
Maggie

I tend to like more plants as I find it cuts down on weeds in my beds. It also looks nice note having holes throughout the gardens.

I really try to pack them in!

Just my opinion!

Diana

I like the appearance of a lush, extravagent garden. However, I also design the gardens by flower color and foliage, and prefer to give each plant the space it requires at peak growth. I really like large and showy perennials and annuals, and if you don't give them sufficient room then they will never reach their full potential.

Except for the WS seedlings and first year plants, I space out plants pretty far apart. I've watched how they grow in previous years, and have an idea how much room they require. This means there is a lot of space between plants in Spring and early Summer, but by now, it has all filled in. To fill in the space, I grow a lot of bulbs and ephemerals, which fade away by summertime.

In the front yard, the gardens are more formal in this respect. In the back yard, they get increasingly less formal as you go back towards the wild area.

Jam packed, lush and full. Brown is bad (for me).

I definitely lean towards a "controlled lushness", but haven't achieved it yet in my own garden. I've only been seriously gardening for two years now, and am just now learning how much space each type of plant really needs, and how tall things really get (which is not always what the tag says) so there are some spots that are too bare, and others where larger, more aggressive plants are crowding out others.

I have to agree with Maggie, that it depends on your location. If I had a huge piece of property, or a more formal looking house, I might spread things out a bit more, but there wouldn't be room for all of my favorites, if I did that in my tiny yard!

I think defining what is pleasing to your eye takes time, so the longer you garden, the more your personal style will take shape.

Bonnie

Paula,

Just took a walk around the house and I just don't know what style I like, but I like everything I see. Some full sun gardens are flopping like crazy - BES gracing the rocks walls after a bit of wind and rain - yet I am not cutting them back since it's appealing to me. Other full sun gardens are more structured, but again they are pleasing.

The shade gardens are very much the same way too. As long as there is good foliage and colours galore, I am happy! :O)

Paula....I like your garden style as it is. Mine gets kind woolly towards the middle of summer and I keep saying I'm not going to plant so much but it never fails. LOL