When I visit the garden center, I'm overwhelmed by plant lust and want to grow every plant I see. However, like most of us, I'm limited in what I'm able to grow, and need to choose plants wisely to make the most of my space and my time. Because I'm fascinated by visual representations of concepts and processes, I decided to create a mindmap that illustrates how I evaluate plants.
According to mindmapping.com, "A mind map is a diagram for representing tasks, words, concepts, or items linked to and arranged around a central concept or subject using a non-linear graphical layout that allows the user to build an intuitive framework around a central concept."
Here's what I came up with:
In this mindmap, the upper 'U' represents the time spent either pampering or removing plants. In the upper right corner are aggressive plants that require large time commitments to keep in check. Other plants take up time because they need lots of pampering just to keep them alive (upper left.) Plants near the top of the diagram require too much time to make them worth it. Plants closer to the center require less care and aren't aggressive.
The lower inverted 'U' represents usefulness. The greater the number of functions, or the more critical the function of a plant, the higher up on the 'U.' The pretty purple spot is where plants with the most to offer and needing the least maintenance intersect. Grow these plants. Work less, get more.
Some plants are easily placed on the map. Strawberries provide delicious fruit that everyone in the family enjoys. Bananas provide shade, fiber, leaves to cook food in, suck up lots of water, and are beautiful to watch in the breeze. Feverfew is pretty, attracts pollinators, can be used to treat headaches, and shades out more aggressive undesirables. These three plants are super easy to grow and propagate, so it's no surprise that they fall into the purple range.
The placement of some plants isn't so straightforward. After planting my small orchard and carefully protecting young fruit trees with wire cages, I've spent years (years!) pruning, manuring, and mowing around my babies with nary an apple to show for my hard work. Last fall was pleasantly surprised with a bumper crop of seek-no-furthers, and I think it's reasonable to expect yields from the other varieties in the near future. In the long run, work should lessen, and harvests should increase, therefore apple trees fall into the purple zone.
Dutch white clover lands in the purple because it offers some weed suppression and is a nitrogen fixer. I could achieve the same effect with mulch and compost, but since there's zero work involved in cultivating this volunteer, I let it grow where it wants.
The diagram provides no information about specific plants, but rather a way of organizing thoughts around plant selection. Judgements of what constitutes too much work, and what functions are valued, are left up to each individual grower. The mindmap is basically a visual representation of the "least effort for the greatest effect" principle, as it applies to plant selection. Read more about this principle here: https://b0dj01.wixsite.com/turtleparadise/post/the-least-work-for-the-greatest-effect
Similar mind maps could be made to apply to other components of your design, such as livestock, as well as non-living components like irrigation systems or composting methods. While it seems obvious that you wouldn't want to work harder than you have to, sometimes the desire to do things the "right way" overrides common sense. I hope my mindmap will help beginners to clarify their thinking on this important principle. Now that I've discovered how easy it is to create such illustrations using just my phone, I'm sure I'll be producing many more.
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