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Senior landscape architect at David Wilson Homes, Brian Hawtin, has shared his “golden rule” to remember when buying plants.
Brian has lectured in garden design and worked on TV shows such as Love Your Garden.
The gardening expert said there’s one common “mistake” gardeners make when buying plants that can make gardens look “unnatural”.
Brian explained the “golden rule” every amateur gardener should follow when planting up their garden.
He said: “My golden rule of plant buying is that plants should always be bought in threes, fives, sevens or even nines.
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“A mistake many gardeners make is planting up in singles, pairs or even numbers.
“Plants should clump, sprawl and intertwine, not sit in rigid lines or block shapes.
“Planting in odd numbers creates visual variety and offers maximum aesthetic impact.”
Brian explains why planting plants, shrubs and flowers in odd numbers is better than planting in even numbers.
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Single plants don’t make enough impact
Brian said: “Unless you are buying specimens or ‘look at me’ plants like large trees, full shrubs or topiary, single plants don’t offer enough impact.
“Specimens are types of plant that draw attention, they’re conversation pieces that stand out among other plants in the garden and offer instant impact.”
It looks most natural
The gardening expert said clusters of plants look more natural because this is what we see in nature.
Buying in odd numbers is the “best way” to replicate this effect and make gardens look natural.
Even numbers bore the eye
Brian said gardeners should “avoid” even numbers as it looks “unnatural”.
He said: “You also want to avoid even numbers. Gardening is a form of art and, as graphic designers, interior designers and all manner of creatives will tell you, uniformity bores the eye and looks unnatural.”
It’s cheaper
The gardening expert said another bonus is that garden centres often offer discounts for plants bought in threes.
He added: “Therefore, buying in odd numbers can actually help you to save money – especially important when you’ve just moved into a new home.”
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