One of my absolute favorite hobbies is gardening! I have admittedly un-alived a lot of plants in my day by not choosing the best ones for my yard. Learn from my mistakes and ask yourself these 4 questions when choosing plants for your garden. These easy tips will help you save money on your landscaping by selecting the right plants the first time!
Don’t miss my absolute favorite gardening must haves at the bottom of the page!!!
This post contains affiliate links which might earn me a small commission at no cost to you.
THANK YOU for supporting me and the quality items I promote!
Four questions you should ask before buying outdoor plants
1. What Type Of Light Does Need?
What type of sun does YOUR flower bed or garden get? Shade to full shade plants are going to burn out quickly in a full sun bed. A full sun plant won’t thrive in a spot that gets less that 6 hours of sun a day. Choose plants that thrive in the amount of sun your yard offers.
2. Is It Native?
Your local nursery and the big box stores offer so many different varieties of flowers and shrubs. But just because they sell them doesn’t mean they’re going to survive in your yard. It’s REALLY hard not to bring home the unique and unusual plants that you don’t really see in other people’s gardens – but the fact is, they’re not going to last long and you’re going to end up spending more money to fill their vacant spot when they die.
Try to choose plants and flowers that are native to the area you live in. Those are going to be more hardy and survive for years versus only one season. With the money I wasted on plants I brought home just because they were fabulous, I could fill another 5 flower beds.
3. How Big Will It Grow?
Knowing the size of your flower beds before choosing plants will help you from buying to much and too big! You want to pay attention to the mature size of the plants you choose so you know how many you will need without overcrowding the bed. Read the tags that come attached to your plants! It will tell you exactly how much space to leave to allow everything to grow to its mature size. Planting too many or too close together means your new babies will soon run out of room and end up fighting for sun and nutrients.
4. When Does it Bloom?
If your entire flower bed is filled with flowers that bloom in the summer months, you’re going to have a pretty dull landscape during the other seasons. Try to pick a few plants that bloom in the spring, a few that bloom all summer, and a few that will give you color in the fall. Your garden will always be filled with color! Bonus points if you choose plants with a long bloom period such as coneflowers and black eyed susans!
Where Should I Buy My Outdoor Plants?
If it’s possible, shop at a small local nursery. The benefit of choosing your plants from a smaller, local nursery is that they are well educated on what works well in your region! Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get their advice for what would grow best around your home! And please don’t hesitate in reaching out to me with any questions you may have! I’d love to help!
Now that you know the basics of how to choose the right types of plants for your yard, don’t miss my tips on how to style your flower beds for the most beautiful landscaping!
xoxo, L
Legendary Gardening Finds
