Sarah Johnson
Garden writer
Sarah Johnson writes about planting design and seasonal care for Sow, with a particular interest in how a small garden can be made to work harder — succession, structure, and the decisions that keep a bed looking deliberate across a whole year.
- Planting design
- Seasonal care
- Small gardens
10 guides by Sarah
How to Make a Planting Plan: From Base Map to Plant Schedule
A step-by-step method for making a planting plan for one bed or a whole garden: measure the site, record the conditions, choose plants by mature size, lay them out, and write the plant schedule, with a template you can copy.
How to Plan a Perennial Border: Step-by-Step Layout
Plan a perennial border step by step: bed depth, spacing and group sizes, a 20 by 6 ft layout with plant counts, ecological drifts and the mistakes to avoid.
Designing With Bulbs: Where to Plant for Every Season
Discover how to enhance your perennial gardens with bulbs, corms, and tubers, adding seasonal interest and delightful surprises throughout the year.
Where to Plant Perennials: Placement by Bloom Season
Learn the ideal placement strategies for spring, early summer, and autumn-flowering perennials to create beautiful, year-round gardens.
Garden Color Schemes: How to Combine Plant Colors
Unlock the art of using color effectively in perennial gardens to create stunning, harmonious landscapes.
How Far Apart to Plant Perennials: Spacing & Grouping
Learn how thoughtful grouping, plant sociability, and planting distances contribute to vibrant, low-maintenance perennial gardens.
Perennial Garden Design: Planning for All-Season Bloom
Plan a perennial garden that flowers from early spring to frost, with a month-by-month bloom calendar, sun and shade plant lists, bulb layering and upkeep tips.
How to Prepare Your Garden for Spring Planting
Get your garden ready for spring: last frost dates by zone, soil temperatures for each crop, cleanup timing, soil testing and prep, and how to plant well.
Container Gardening for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Start a container garden with confidence: the right pot size for each plant, potting mix, how many plants per pot, watering, feeding, winter care and fixes.
How to Plan a Spring Garden: Timing, Layout & Plants
Get a head start on your spring garden with our comprehensive planning guide. Learn when to start seeds, how to prepare your soil, and the best plants for early season color.