Using Tetris to Create Your Perfect Garden
With the cold weather blowing away, it's the perfect time to create your own Tetris inspired garden.
Have you ever walked through your neighborhood admiring the gorgeous flowers in each yard? They’re all so vastly different, with some neighbors choosing to plant the same flowers, and others spicing things up with unique arrangements.
For years I avoided gardening because it seemed like a ton of work and I love sleeping on weekends. Yes the planting takes time, but then there’s the upkeep. You also need a plan, which was my biggest problem. Whenever I did plant flowers, I didn’t think about where things should go and how they’d look.
This year I vowed to start anew, with a little help from Tetris. This may sound strange, but if you think about it, a patch of soil or planting box reminds me of the Matrix from Tetris. Using this blank canvas, you’re free to let your creativity blossom as you piece together the Tetris garden that works best for you.
First up, figuring out the difference between annuals and perennials.
Photo Credit: © vpardi – stock.adobe.com
If you want your Tetris garden to bloom for extended periods of time, it’s probably best to use annuals. However, if you prefer something temporary, you’re better off with perennials. Decisions, right?
Once you decide which flowers you want, it’s time to head to your local nursery and buy some. This is where a little mathematics, creativity, and planning come into play, as each flower you plant will vary in color, size, and required space, just like those famous Tetriminos.
I suggest doing a little research online and create a list to take with you to the store. Next, think about how many packs of flowers you need in relation to the space available in your garden. Similar to Tetris, you don’t want to stack too many lines!
That said, it’s better to purchase too few than too many because you can always head back to your local nursery for more flowers. Before you take your beautiful flowers home, you’ll also need to ensure you have everything you need to plant; take it from me, you’ll want a proper trowel and some fresh soil.
Of course if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask the kind men and women working at your local nursery. Oftentimes they’ll be more than happy to help you find everything you need to make your Tetris garden a success.
Once you’ve gathered all of your supplies, separate each variation of flower by color and size. If you think of each flower base (the dirt at the bottom when you remove the flower from its plastic container) as a square, you’ll find it easier to know how and where to place them.
For example, to create the skinny I-Tetrimino, plant one flower color group in a straight line. After that, you can piece together your unique Tetris lines with each Tetrimino represented by a different color. Unlike Tetriminos, though, you should not put flowers too close together because you must give them room to breathe.
With everything planted, fed, and watered,
you can now take a few steps back and admire your new garden.
Even if it’s not the most perfect Tetris garden, it’ll nevertheless be beautiful and different, which is a good thing, since you want to stand out from your neighbors. Happy spring, Tetris fans!
