Plant spacing calculator
Enter the size of your bed, the spacing on the plant tag, and the planting pattern. You'll get how many plants to buy.
- Bed area (sq ft)
- –
- Plants per sq ft
- –
Plants along the very edge of a bed can be set half a spacing in from the border.
Square or staggered?
A square grid lines plants up in rows and columns, which is easy to lay out and leaves room to walk or weed between. A staggered pattern offsets every other row, like the dots on dice. It fits about 15% more plants in the same space and fills in faster, which is why it's common for ground covers and mass plantings.
How the math works
In a square grid, each plant takes up a square the size of the spacing. At 12 inch spacing, that's one plant per square foot, so a 10 by 4 foot bed holds 40 plants. In a staggered layout, the rows sit closer together, giving about 46 plants in the same bed.
Typical spacing
| Plant | Spacing |
|---|---|
| Ground covers (vinca, creeping thyme) | 6–12 in |
| Annual flowers | 8–12 in |
| Perennials | 12–24 in |
| Small shrubs | 3–4 ft |
The tag on the plant is the best guide. Spacing is based on the plant's full mature width, so beds look sparse at first and fill in over a season or two.
Common questions
Can I plant closer to fill in faster?
A little closer works for ground covers. For shrubs and perennials, crowding leads to poor air flow and disease, and you'll end up dividing or removing plants later.
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