Gardening BlogGardening Advice and Tips

Many times we buy plants on impulse then find there is nowhere in the garden that really suits them. Before buying plants carefully examine your garden to see how much sun and shade it gets, whether the soil is well drained or waterlogged and whether your aspect is sheltered or windswept. You’ll then be equipped to go and buy the best plants for your situation; shade-loving plants for the sheltered areas, sun-lovers for the warm spots, drought-resistant plants for the parched areas which may be either sunny or shaded, and swamp plants for the poorly-drained parts.

But wait! Test your soil first, to determine the pH level of your soil and what kind of nutrients you need to add, if any. Is the soil acid or alkaline? Most plants prefer soil that is slightly acidic, but there are some that must have alkaline soil to grow. You can alter the soil’s pH level, but it’s much easier to simply plant for the soil you have.

Now you are ready to plant. Well - almost. Will you plant in groups or singly? If you buy ‘one of everything’ your garden may seem rather spotty. Group plantings are organised, harmonious and you can vary the color for interest.

Before planting out, place your chosen plants around the garden bed in their pots to see how they will look. Re-arrange them until you are satisfied. Grouping plants in sets of threes or fives usually looks better than planting in groups of even numbers. Be sure that you have an interesting combination of colors and textures of plants. Tall plants should go to the back, or the centre if your garden will be viewed equally from all sides. Try to keep your plants away from trees. The roots of trees are fiercely competitive and will steal all the nutrients and moisture meant for your flowers.

The right color scheme is one way to maintain the harmony in your garden. Imagine the color of the flowers when they are in bloom. Some colors may clash with others, but can still be planted side-by-side if they have a different blooming season. Foliage color is also important. Many flower plants have silver, grey or purplish foliage that is just as attractive as the flower. This means that they are still attractive well past the blooming season and so have added value.

Plants for sunny, moist conditions include:

Bee Balm (Monarda)

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Globe Flower (Trollius)

Japanese Iris (Iris ensata)

Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)

Rose Mallow (Hibiscus)

Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus)

Queen of the Prairie

Plants for sunny, dry conditions:

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Bearded Iris

Butterfly Bush

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Coneflower (Echinacea)

Cranesbill (Geranium)

Daylily

Dwarf Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana pumila)

False Indigo (Baptisia)

Fountain grass (Pennisetum species)

Gayfeather (Liatris spicata)

Goldenrod (Solidage)

Lamb’s Ears (Stachys)

Lavender

Lavender Cotton (Santolina)

Ornamental grasses (Miscanthus species)

Pinks (Dianthus)

Sage (Salvia)

Sea Thrift (Armeria)

Sunflower

Switch grass (Panicum species)

Tickseed (Coreopsis)

Wild Rye (Elymus)

Wormwood (Artemesia)

Yarrow (Achillea)

Yucca

Plants (Perennials) for shady areas:

Astilbe

Bergenia

Colombine

Coral Bells

Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)

Hellebores

Hosta

Ligularia

Lily of the Valley

Pulmonaria (Lungwort)

Spiderwort (Tradescantia)