DESIGN BLOCK LIBRARY

After planting gardens across an acre of land, I came to understand how much design and composition shape the way a garden feels. But the expert advice I found was difficult to translate into an actual planting plan. I learned by planting, moving and deconstructing what I had created until the relationships became clear.

The Design Blocks turn that understanding into a practical system so other gardeners have a place to begin.

Design Block Plans - available in print & digital

$75 Digital | $100 Print

Click on Block to Learn More / Order

How to read the names

Every block carries a feeling and a purpose. The name tells you both.

The feeling
Calm. Through soft colour and/or texture, these plants are meant to be quietly enjoyed.
Joyful. It makes you smile. It includes happy plants.
Energized. Colour is doing the work. Strong contrast that shouts from across the yard.
Dramatic. Dark colour. Interesting because you're not sure a plant should be that colour.
The purpose
View. You look over it. What is beyond stays visible.
Screen. It hides what's behind it, or creates an intimate 'room'.
Mist. You can see through it.
Pollinator. Built for bees and butterflies first.

What’s Inside a Design Block Plan?

Your Garden Thirty Square Feet at a Time

Whether 3×10 or 5×6 I have found this to be the most manageable area.

Each block is a complete garden design on its own, or it can be repeated and paired with other blocks to create a larger garden.

What's inside a Design Block Plan?

Everything you need to plant

Each block is a complete, ready-to-plant garden: the palette, the plan, and the shopping list, all worked out for you.

01
The Placement Plan
A scaled planting layout showing exactly what goes where.
02
Reference Charts
Through the Season and Over Five Years, so you see how the block changes with time.
03
Plant Profiles
A two-page spread on every plant: why I use it, what makes it stand out, where it sits.
04
The Connecting Block
The swaps and connecting placement, with its own charts.
05
Making It Happen
Sizing, sourcing, and the first year in the ground. Includes the When to Start chart if you'd rather grow your own.
06
What You Will Order
The full shopping list by plant, with sizing and cost.
A mix of Workhorses Staples Divas

Custom Block Designs

If you would like me to create your garden from your site plant and unique needs, reach out to discuss your plans.

Starting at $450