The initial funding of £750, approved in April 1973, had to be spent on plant stock and labels by the end of the 1973/4 financial year.
To prepare new planting plans, each bed was cleared and measured, and base plans were drawn up to scale.

The Great Plat in 1975.
Roy responded rapidly to urgent requests for plant information, and offered to hold stock in nursery beds at Cannington until it was needed. By the end of February 1974 Madeleine was able to buy in plants and labels for the Grey Walk, the East Rill, most of the West Rill and also part of the Great Plat: in all, more than 2,000 plants.