Landscaping can be a great way to improve the look of your home, but it also requires some research and planning. There are many factors that you should consider before deciding on which plants would work best for your landscape. In this article, we’ll cover how to select the perfect landscaping plants for your home.
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| – Consider the hardiness of plants and the quality of your soil before choosing what to plant in your yard |
| – Select plants based on their sun and shade preferences and consider the unique environmental factors of your property |
| – Low-maintenance plant options such as succulents and cacti, as well as native plants, are great choices for busy homeowners |
| – Transform your outdoor space by selecting the right plants that add instant beauty and curb appeal to your home |
| – Explore online resources like the “Right Plant, Right Place” guide from the University of Massachusetts to learn more about selecting the perfect plants for your landscape |
Consider Your Climate
Before you go shopping for plants, it’s important to consider the climate where you live.
The two main ingredients for gardening success are temperature and precipitation. Are the summers hot? Do you get a lot of rain in the spring and summer? What about winter? Is it cold and snowy, or is it milder with very little precipitation during those months?
Seasonal patterns also play an essential role in determining what plants are best suited for your yard. Every region has different seasons that last roughly three months each, so while some regions may have relatively consistent periods of rainfall throughout the year (such as Seattle), others might experience heavy rains during certain times of year but none at other times (like Los Angeles).
And finally, wind can be one more factor to consider when choosing the right plants. A plant that flourishes in windy conditions will likely do well on your property if there’s no shelter available for it—so don’t forget about this important aspect when choosing which greenery will thrive next door!
An important consideration when choosing plants for your yard is their hardiness, and soil quality is one aspect that can affect it. Learn more about how to choose the right plants that can thrive in your yard with our expert tips for choosing the right landscaping plants for your yard.
Consider Your Space
Before you start shopping for plants, take the time to measure your space and consider how much space you have. This will help determine what plants are right for your home.
Measure the height of your walls and windowsills. Measure the distance between them, too, so that you can see if a plant will produce a lot of shade or not. You’ll also want to estimate how tall any trees are going to get over time in order to decide whether or not it’s worth planting something at all now that won’t need replacing later on when things get bigger!
The next step is measuring how much room needs filling up (and remember: just because there’s an empty corner doesn’t mean anything goes). There are several ways of doing this: calculating square footage (length x width), estimating square footage based on area per person or family member(s), measuring by foot-by-foot dimensions…the list goes on!
Consider Your Soil
Soil is the most important part of any garden, so it’s crucial to choose plants that are suited to your soil type. To do this, you need to know what kind of soil you have!
Soil types can be divided into three categories: clay, sand and loam. Clay soils are dense and heavy, which makes them difficult for water to penetrate easily.
They also tend to be acidic (pH levels below 7), which means they require fertilizer more often than other types of soil. This is why if you have a garden full of clay pots or containers inside your home like succulents or cacti you might consider using specially formulated potting mixes with extra nutrients added in order for them not only survive but thrive!
Whether you’re looking to attract pollinators or simply add more color to your garden, choosing the right plants is essential. Check out our list of 10 must-have landscaping plants to make your garden stand out.
Consider your goals
First, you need to consider your goals. If you want a relaxing space or a space to entertain, then you’ll probably have different priorities than someone who wants a space that is low maintenance and natural looking.
While nature has its own beauty, we don’t all want our gardens to look like they were made by Mother Nature herself. So if you’re looking for something more manicured and controlled, ask yourself what kinds of plants would be best for your goals. Do you want something that will grow quickly in small spaces? Is there an area that needs extra shade but still needs some sunlight? How much water will each plant require in order to flourish?
| Goal | Elements to Consider |
|---|---|
| Privacy | Fencing, Hardscaping, Shrubs |
| Curb Appeal | Seasonal Color, Symmetry, Focal Point |
| Outdoor Living | Patio/Walkway, Outdoor Kitchen/Grill, Fire Pit |
| Low Maintenance | Native Plants, Hardscaping, Drought-Tolerant Plants |
| Kids/Entertainment | Play Area, Pool/Hot Tub, Open Space for Games |
When considering your landscaping goals, it’s important to think about the elements you want to include in your design. For instance, if privacy is your goal, think about installing fencing or incorporating tall shrubs into your landscape. For curb appeal, you might opt for seasonal color, symmetry, or a focal point such as a fountain.
If you want to create an outdoor living space, consider elements like a patio or walkway, outdoor kitchen or grill, or fire pit. If low maintenance is a priority, look for options like native plants or hardscaping. Finally, if your goal is to create a space for entertaining or for kids to play, you might consider a play area, pool or hot tub, or space for outdoor games.
Set your budget
You can spend as much or as little as you want on your landscaping. You have to make sure that you have a budget in place before purchasing the plants, and if possible, it is best to leave room for maintenance costs.
If you are planning to hire a company or individual to take care of your plants, make sure that they will be able to provide an estimate for the cost of labor for each season (spring, summer and fall). If a professional is not involved in maintaining your landscaping then there are some steps that can be taken by yourself:
- Watering – When choosing plants that require less water such as succulents or cacti, ask yourself if you would like them too look greener than their usual color? If so then watering more often may be necessary. Also keep in mind how much sunlight these types of plants get during different seasons; if they don’t get enough sunlight then they’ll need more frequent watering too!
- Pest Control – Good quality soil will deter most pests from entering into gardens; however there are times when bugs do manage their way into our garden beds! One way we’ve found effective is by spraying Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki (BTK) on our flowers as well as any weeds growing within reachable distance from where we stand while working inside our yard.”
Knowing which plants work best in different light conditions is key to creating a thriving landscape. Discover the top plants that will thrive in your yard, whether it’s in shade or sun, with our guide to landscaping plants for shade and sun.
Seek Out a Professional Landscape Designer or Planner
If you’re looking to create a new garden, or make improvements to an existing one, it’s important to seek out the advice of a professional landscape designer or planner.
A qualified landscaper will be able to help you choose the right plants for your climate and area, as well as advise on how best to plant them. This means they can take into account things like soil type and drainage when making recommendations on what types of plants will thrive in your garden.
A great way to get started with this process is by visiting websites like [this link](https://www.gardenguidesite.com/landscaping-designers/) which offer details about local landscapers in your area—they’ll have experience with all different kinds of projects and can provide more specific recommendations based on their knowledge of the region’s climate conditions, soil types and so on.
If you’re having trouble finding someone local who specializes in designing gardens, there are also plenty of books available that cover everything from building a pond or creating perennial borders through setting up different zones within an existing property (like vegetable gardens) so that each part gets just enough sun exposure during its growing season without getting too much heat from direct sunlight during hotter months.
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| BrightView | Provides commercial landscaping services, including design, installation, and maintenance. |
| The Davey Tree Expert Company | Offers a range of landscaping services, including landscape design and tree/shrub planting. |
| LandCare | Provides commercial landscaping services, including landscape design, water management, and pest control. |
| Bartlett Tree Experts | Offers a range of landscaping services, including landscape design, tree care, and shrub pruning. |
| Brighter Blooms | Specializes in online plant orders and offers free landscape design consultations with professionals. |
Working with a professional landscape designer or planner can make it easier to achieve your landscaping goals. Consider companies such as BrightView, The Davey Tree Expert Company, LandCare, and Bartlett Tree Experts, who offer a range of landscaping services.
If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can also check out Brighter Blooms, which offers free landscape design consultations with professionals with each online plant order.
Choose Hardy Plants That Can Thrive in Most of the Country
When choosing plants for your new garden, it’s important to consider the climate and soil conditions of your area.
If you live in a part of the country that experiences extremely cold weather during winter months, you may want to consider planting shrubs and trees native to your region instead of plants that are known for thriving in more tropical areas.
Plants such as azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons and lilacs are great options because they can be used as hedges or border plants around your yard; however these species tend not to do well in colder climates due to their sensitivity towards cold weather (except for Lilac which does well up until about Zone 6).
On the other hand if you’re looking for flowering perennials then there are many options available such as peonies or dahlias which tend not only thrive but also bloom during summer months when temperatures reach higher levels than normal so keep this in mind when choosing what kind of landscaping plants will work best with whatever type of space you have available!
Transforming your outdoor space with the right plants can add instant beauty and curb appeal to your home. Get inspired with our guide to 15 landscaping plants that will make your yard stand out.
Select Native Plants for the Best Results
One of the best ways to keep your plants healthy is by choosing native plants. Native plants are well adapted to your local climate and soil, which means they’re much more likely to survive than non-native species.
They also attract local wildlife, further increasing their lifespan as well as acting as an environmental benefit for other animals in your area.
Native plants require less watering because they don’t need extra nutrients or pesticides like many common garden flowers do; this makes them ideal for those who don’t have the time or money necessary to maintain a large garden.
Consider Adding Perennial Plants for a Long-Lasting Effect
When it comes to landscaping, perennials are a great option for adding beautiful color and texture to your yard. They can be used as ground cover or in beds, depending on the size of your garden and the type of plants you’re looking for.
Perennials also tend to be very low maintenance; they don’t require regular watering or fertilizer like annuals do once they’re established, they’ll last for years with little upkeep required.
You may have noticed that some of your favorite flowers (like daffodils) return every year no matter what kind of weather conditions they’ve encountered during the previous season!
Add Some Color With Flowering Plants and Shrubs
Flowering plants and shrubs add color to your home, and there’s nothing as striking as a flowering tree in spring.
Flowers are a great way to start with your landscaping, but you don’t want to plant all flowers. You need to balance them with trees and other greenery to give your yard the look of natural beauty that you want.
Try adding some shade-loving perennials under tall trees or along the edge of pathways where they won’t be trampled by people walking by your home.
Trees can be used not only as shade providers but also as windbreaks or sound barriers, depending on their height and location around the exterior of your house.
You might even consider planting fruit trees if you have enough room for these types of plants—they’ll provide tasty treats while also giving off beautiful blossoms during springtime months!
Adding Color with Flowering Plants and Shrubs
| Plant | Bloom Color | Height | Sun/Shade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrangea | Pink, Blue, White | 3-6 ft | Partial Shade |
| Azalea | Pink, Red, White | 6 ft | Partial Shade |
| Knock Out Rose | Pink, Red, Yellow | 3 ft | Full Sun |
| Black-eyed Susan | Yellow, Orange | 1-3 ft | Full Sun |
| Coneflower | Purple, Red, Yellow | 2-5 ft | Full Sun |
With the right flowering plants and shrubs, you can add color and visual interest to your landscape. Consider planting hydrangeas or azaleas in partial shade areas, while knockout roses, black-eyed susans, and coneflowers do well in full sun.
These specific plants and shrubs have been selected based on their bloom color, height, and sun/shade preferences to help you add some color to your yard.
Add Trees to Create Shade and Make a Statement
Trees are a great way to add shade and privacy to your landscape. They can also be used as a focal point, or even as the defining element of your garden design.
You can create an expansive space by planting multiple trees in one area, but if you have limited space, there are many dwarf varieties that will fit well in smaller gardens.
If you’re a busy homeowner, you may not have much time to spend on maintaining your yard. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a stunning landscape. Check out our guide to low-maintenance landscaping plants to find plants that look great while requiring minimal care.
Conclusion
With the right planning and plant selection, you can create your own beautiful landscape that will last for years.
We hope this article has given you some ideas and inspiration on how to make your yard look even better than before!
Further Reading
Explore the following resources to learn more about selecting the perfect plants for your landscape:
Right Plant, Right Place: Plant Selection Guide for Managed Landscapes – This guide by the University of Massachusetts offers an in-depth look at how to choose plants based on environmental factors and your property’s unique features.
Plant Selection for the Landscape – The Spruce provides helpful tips for selecting plants that are adapted to your region’s climate.
Pick the Right Plants – From House to Home offers guidance on selecting the right plants for your garden and landscape, including tips on assessing light conditions and soil quality.
FAQs
How do I choose the right plants for my landscape?
Choosing the right plants involves assessing your landscape’s environmental factors and considering factors such as your yard’s soil quality, light conditions, and region. It’s also essential to consider the plants’ growth habits, maintenance requirements, and aesthetic attributes.
What factors should I consider when selecting plants for my landscape?
Some important factors to consider when selecting plants for your landscape include your region’s climate, soil type and quality, light conditions, and your landscape’s unique features, such as slopes, wind exposure, and water features.
How do I know which plants will thrive in shade or sun?
Different plants have different sun and shade preferences. To determine which plants will thrive in your landscape, assess how much sun and shade different areas of your yard receive throughout the day. You can also consult plant labels or a garden expert for suggestions on which plants work best in different light conditions.
What are some low-maintenance plant options for my landscape?
Some low-maintenance plant options include succulents and cacti, which require minimal watering and are adapted to hot and dry conditions. Other options include native plants, which are adapted to your region’s environment and require minimal human intervention to thrive.
How much should I spend on plants for my landscape?
The amount you should spend on plants for your landscape depends on factors such as the size of your property, the number of plants you need, and the species you choose. Generally, it’s best to start with a budget and prioritize essential plants before adding decorative or specialty plants to your landscape.
Hi! My name is Hellen James, and I’m a landscape designer in Los Angeles. I’ve been working with homeowners and businesses to help them improve the look of their properties for over 10 years.
