Plot Twist

Yes. Every feature is free to use. There are no ads, no paid tier, and nothing to unlock.

No. There is no sign-up, no login and no email. Open the page and start planting.

On your own device, in your browser's storage. Nothing is sent to a server. Use Backup in the menu to save a file, or to move your beds to another device.

Use Share this bed. The whole plan is packed inside the link itself, so your friend just opens it and sees your bed. Nothing is uploaded.

Sizes are typical mature widths and heights for each plant in average garden conditions. Your soil, sun, water and climate can make plants grow bigger or smaller. You can change any plant's size if yours grows differently.

Yes. Choose My own plant, enter how wide and tall it gets, then pick its shape, leaf size and colors from pictures.

Yes. Plot Twist is built for phones first and works on tablets and computers too. You can install it on your home screen and use it offline.

Yes. You can switch to meters, pick your growing zone from the list, and use it in English or Spanish. The ZIP-code zone lookup works for US ZIP codes.

Yes. Add a photo of the spot, drag the 3D bed onto it, and tilt, turn and size it to match. The photo stays on your device.

Space plants by their mature width, not their size in the pot. A simple rule: the distance between two plants' centers should be about half of one plant's mature width plus half of the other's. Two 4-foot-wide shrubs go about 4 feet apart, center to center.

Because plants are spaced for their full-grown size. Most perennials fill out in 2 to 3 years and shrubs in 3 to 5. Fill the gaps with mulch, annual flowers or bulbs while you wait, instead of adding extra permanent plants that will crowd later.

Full sun means 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day. Part sun or part shade is about 3 to 6 hours, and shade is less than 3 hours. Morning sun is gentler than hot afternoon sun.

Hardiness zones group places by their coldest typical winter temperature. In the USDA system each zone is 10 °F apart, split into a and b halves of 5 °F. A plant rated for zones 4 to 8 should survive winters in those zones.

Spring, after the last frost, and early fall are best. Fall planting gives roots several weeks of cool, moist weather to settle in before winter. Aim to finish about six weeks before the ground freezes.

Two to three inches is enough. Keep mulch an inch or two away from stems and trunks; piling it against them invites rot and pests.

Put tall plants at the back (or the middle of an island bed), medium plants in the middle and low plants at the front. Plant in groups of 3 or 5 of the same plant, repeat a few plants along the bed, and choose plants that bloom at different times.

A border needs at least 4 to 6 feet of depth to fit layers of plants; 6 to 8 feet looks fuller. Raised vegetable beds work best at 4 feet wide or less, so you can reach the middle without stepping in.

In the first season, water deeply 2 to 3 times a week for the first few weeks, then about an inch of water a week when it doesn't rain. Established plants usually need less, except in long dry spells.

Mix in evergreens, ornamental grasses, shrubs with colorful bark or berries, spring bulbs and plants with fall color. Plot Twist's season view shows what your bed looks like in spring, summer, fall and winter.

Deer tend to avoid plants with strong scents or fuzzy leaves, such as lavender, Russian sage, catmint, salvia and ornamental grasses. No plant is completely deer-proof; hungry deer will try almost anything.

Yes. Mixing them (sometimes called a potager) works well. Flowers such as marigolds, zinnias and herbs bring in pollinators, which helps crops like squash, cucumbers and tomatoes.