While public gardens have long recognized the utility of high-level planning documents such as strategic plans and collections policies, many institutions lack written plans guiding day-to-day landscape management. This session will discuss not only the benefits of landscape management plans for public gardens and arboreta, but also the challenges of developing a plan from scratch, and implementing it once the ink has dried. Plans are not one-size-fits-all, and we will discuss how developing a plan that fits your institution will help guide excellence in the areas of plant health and aesthetics, design and function, goals and objectives, short- and long-term planning, and consistency and efficiency of work practices.