Do you have a theme for this year's planting?

[AllInContainers]

As last year was my first soiree into gardening, I grew all kinds of different stuff to give myself a crash course. The year turned out to be quite hectic away from the garden though, and this year looks like it could be the same. My back garden looked like an allotment rather than a back garden, and at the height of the "busy season" was almost a second job I barely had time for. I'm steering away from both these factors for 2014

This year I'm going for low maintenance - predominantly fruits. I want a garden that I can sit in with a beer and enjoy the scenery as much as reap a harvest. I'm also avoiding nets where possible for the same reason (strawberries being the exception), and growing a stupid amount of berries instead so that there's a good chance of there being some left for me There will be a few non-standard veggies too, again ones that serve the purpose of looking nice, with the food crops being a very welcome bonus (dahlia yams, hyacinth beans, daylilies etc). It's kind of going to be forest gardening - but in pots

Anyone else growing on a theme this year?

[Scarlet]

I don't garden to a theme. I grow fruit and veg that the family will eat, are expensive in the shops and can be preserved if I have a glut. That said looking back over each year I can often see I've gone mad with squash varieties, black or blue veg or pretty bean seeds!

[Bren In Pots]

No theme here either I just grow a mix of veg/herbs/fruit along with some wildflowers and sweetpeas. I have to net from butterflies and birds but I've found that black netting doesn't stand out as much as the green does.

[lottie dolly]

No theme here,i like to grow veg,fruit and flowers,i also try new things every year,that way you get to know your own personal favourits,anything thats not,and in date,send to the seed swap,i never really know decide where what goes either,that is within the 4 year rotation areas,it all comes down to what we can each manage and WANT to achieve,thats one thing about the VINE,there is all types of gardeners,and gardens,

[arpoet]

I always have a plan... alas I can never remember to stick to it. I always grow far too many plants for me needs, So, If something fails I can always bung something else in its place.

[AllInContainers]

.... sounds familiar I did the same last year, and have had to try REALLY hard to not get carried away this year. Although saying that, there's a very good chance everything I've already planned/bought won't fit

[out in the cold]

We generally stick to a theme...

"Food Production"

[ancee]

My theme is... grow stuff that grows! I am not one for faffiness, if it needs to be sheltered, cosseted, or brought indoors, faffed about with or needs specialist treatment it not worth it! Shove it in and leave it - is my motto! It pretty much works for me! More flowers this year though. as We went about allotment-chic and it was a bit dull actually!

[lottie dolly]

.... sounds familiar I did the same last year, and have had to try REALLY hard to not get carried away this year. Although saying that, there's a very good chance everything I've already planned/bought won't fit

Get more containers,hang up some baskets with strawberries and tumbling toms,

[AllInContainers]

Too late for that - seriously - must remember to get pics soon ...

[Penellype]

My theme is grow as much stuff as possible in a small space, so this year I am doing vertical as well as horizontal. I've got tower pots for strawberries and smaller veg and I'm thinking of planters on the fence for tumbling tomatoes.

[Bigmallly]

My theme this year is "Beat the Beastie" so plenty of netting & precautions. I'd like quality as well as quantity.

[Bill HH]

Do you have a theme for this year's planting?

I have several themes this year,

For planting i shall play the theme or tune All things bright and beautifull.

For slug killing i shall play the theme from Psycho (particularly the eeeekk eeeek eeek bit as I chop em up).

If we have drought, the theme from Lawrence of Arabia would seem appropriate..

Flood will see me humming bridge over troubled waters.

If its muddy I shall sing the theme from Dirty Harry.

If I am burning it will be Chareiots of Fire.

Pruning will be the theme from Edward Scissor Hands.

When my green house lifts off in a gale it will be gone with the wind.

And finaly harvesting carrots will have to be The Good, bad and the Ugly.

On a more serious note I intend to grow what we eat and not what takes my fancy when looking though seed catalogues.

[veggiechicken]

My Theme is to grow less brambles and nettles and turn more of the garden over to fruit and veg growing ..........and to eat what I grow, instead of the caterpillars getting there first

[kathyd]

My 'theme' is to stop getting distracted by everything that everyone else is growing, and panicking when they all seem to have planted and sown stuff I've barely thought about! It's just so easy to get side-tracked and want to do everything all at once isn't it??