Plant Spacing Calculator

Plants per square foot = 1 ÷ spacing² (spacing in feet), then multiply by the bed area. At 12 in (30 cm) spacing that is about 1 plant per sq ft (roughly 11 per m²), so a 65 sq ft (6 m²) bed takes about 67 plants in square rows — or about 77 in staggered rows, which pack ~15% more in. The calculator does both layouts.

Staggered rows place each plant in the gap of the row before, giving even coverage and about 15% more plants per square foot — the standard for groundcovers and mass planting. Square grids suit formal layouts and anything you need to walk or cultivate between.

Space to the plant’s mature spread, not its nursery-pot size — the label’s spread figure is the spacing. Common figures: 8–12 in (20–30 cm) for groundcovers, 12–20 in (30–50 cm) for perennials and small shrubs, 3 ft+ (1 m+) for larger shrubs. Planting tighter looks full sooner but costs more and crowds later.

Yes — center to center, not gap between leaves. And keep half a spacing back from the bed edge so mature plants don’t spill over paths and lawn; the calculator’s per-square-foot figure already averages that out for larger beds.

Stretch the spacing 20% and mulch the gaps — most groundcovers close the difference within a season or two. Buying smaller pot sizes at the correct spacing usually beats buying big plants tight: the small ones establish faster and cost a fraction.